Dye sensitised solar cell

ABSTRACT

The present invention pertains to an electrode layer comprising a porous film made of oxide semiconductor fine particles sensitized with certain methin dyes. Moreover the present invention pertains to a photoelectric conversion device comprising said electrode layer, a dye sensitized solar cell comprising said photoelectric conversion device and to novel methin dyes.

The present invention pertains to an electrode layer comprising a porous film made of oxide semiconductor fine particles sensitized with certain methin dyes. Moreover the present invention pertains to a photoelectric conversion device comprising said electrode layer, a dye sensitized solar cell comprising said photoelectric conversion device and to novel methin dyes.

CN-C-1253436, JP-A-2005/082678 and JP-A-2007/149570 disclose photoelectric conversion devices comprising some methine dyes.

US-A-2004/0260093 and WO-A-2006/097334 describe certain methin dyes, especially coumarin dyes, as optical markers for among others proteins.

It is the finding of the present invention that photoelectric conversion devices sensitized with certain methin dyes have excellent overall properties, in particular that they have a particularly high photo-electric power conversion efficiency.

The present invention pertains to an electrode layer comprising a porous film made of oxide semiconductor fine particles sensitized with a dye of formula (I),

wherein A is pyridinium*Y⁻, quinolinium*Y⁻ or isoquinolinium*Y⁻, preferably pyridinium*Y⁻ or quinolinium*Y⁻, most preferably pyridinium*Y⁻, each of which is unsubstituted or substituted; Y⁻ is an inorganic or organic anion, preferably Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻, SCN⁻, BF₄ ⁻, PF₆ ⁻, ClO₄ ⁻, SbF₆ ⁻, AsF₆ ⁻ or an organic anion selected from the group consisting of carboxylate, sulphonate, sulphate, phosphate, phosphonate; n is 0 or 1, preferably 0; R₁, R₂, R₃ and R₄ are independently H, —S(═O)₂OR₇, —S(═O)₂R₇, —S(═O)R₇, —S(═O)OR₇, fluorinated C₁-C₈alkyl, a group of formula (II)

or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, a₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof; or R₁ and R₂, R₁ and R₁₅, R₁ and R₁₆, R₂ and R₁₅, R₂ and R₁₆ or R₃ and R₄ form together an unsubstituted or substituted aliphatic 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; or R₂ and R₁₅ form together an unsubstituted or substituted heteroaromatic 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; or a substituent of A ortho to the

group and either if n is O, R₂ or if n is 1, R₄ form together an unsubstituted or substituted aliphatic 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; or R₁ is D; or if D is a group of formula (IV), R₁ and R₁₈ can form together an unsubstituted or substituted 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring;

with the proviso that at least one of R₁-R₄ is fluorinated C₁-C₈alkyl or that R₂ or R₄ or both are —S(═O)₂OR₇, —S(═O)₂R₇, —S(═O)R₇, —S(═O)OR₇ or a group of formula (II)

R₅ is NR₈, N—OR₈, N—NR₈R₉, O or S;

R₆ is CO—SR₇, CO—NR₇—NR₁₀R₁₁, CO—NR₇—OR₁₀, CO—O—CO—R₇, CO—NR₇—CO—R₁₀, CO—NR₇—CO—OR₁₀, CO—NR₇—CO—NR₁₀R₁₁, NR₇R₁₀, OR₇, SR₇, NR₇—NR₁₀R₁₁, NR₇—OR₁₀, O—CO—R₇, O—CO—OR₇, O—CO—NR₇R₁₀, NR₇—CO—R₁₀, NR₇—CO—OR₁₀, NR₇—CO—NR₁₀R₁₁, CO—R₇, CO—OR₇, CO—NR₇R₁₀, NR₁₂—C(═NR₁₃)R₇ or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, a₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof; R₈ and R₉ are independently H or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, a₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof;

R₇, R₁₀ and R₁₁ are independently H or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₈-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₃-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof; or R₇ or R₁₀ together with that group of R₁-R₄ which is attached to the same double bond as the group of R₁-R₄ comprising said R₇ or R₁₀ forms an unsubstituted or substituted aliphatic 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; or if R₇ or R₁₀ is part of R₂, it can form together with R₁₅ or R₁₆ an unsubstituted or substituted aliphatic 6- or 7-membered ring; or if R₇ or R₁₀ is part of R₂ with n being 0 or is part of R₄ with n being 1, it can form together with a substituent of A ortho to the

group an unsubstituted or substituted aliphatic 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; R₁₂ and R₁₃ form together an unsubstituted or substituted 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; R₁₄ is independently H or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl; D is independently a group of formula (III) or (IV), preferably of formula (III),

R₁₇ and R₁₈ are independently unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₄heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof; or R₁₇ and R₁₈, R₁₇ and R₂₂, R₁₇ and R₂₀ and/or R₁₈ and R₁₉ form together an unsubstituted or substituted 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring;

R₁₅, R₁₆, R₁₉, R₂₀, R₂₁, R₂₂, R₂₃ and R₂₄ are independently H, NR₂₅R₂₆, OR₂₅, SR₂₅, NR₂₅—NR₂₆R₂₇, NR₂₅—OR₂₆, O—CO—R₂₅, O—CO—OR₂₅, O—CO—NR₂₅R₂₆, NR₂₅—CO—R₂₆, NR₂₅—CO—OR₂₆, NR₂₅—CO—NR₂₆R₂₇, CO—R₂₅, CO—OR₂₅, CO—NR₂₅R₂₆, S—CO—R₂₅, CO—R₂₅, CO—NR₂₅—NR₂₆R₂₇, CO—NR₂₅—OR₂₆, CO—O—CO—R₂₅, CO—O—CO—OR₂₅, CO—O—CO—NR₂₅R₂₆, CO—NR₂₅—CO—R₂₆, CO—NR₂₅—CO—OR₂₆, or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, a₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof;

R₂₅, R₂₆ and R₂₇ are independently H or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, a₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof; with the proviso that A or at least one of R₁-R₄ or A and at least one of R₁-R₄ comprises a group G, wherein G is —R₂₈—COOH, —R₂₈—COO⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—S(═O)₂OH, —R₂₈—S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—O—S(═O)₂OH, —R₂₈—O—S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—P(═O)(OH)₂, —R₂₈—P(═O)(O⁻Z⁺)₂, —R₂₈—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻Z⁺), —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(OH)₂, —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(O⁻Z⁺)₂, —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻Z⁺); R₂₈ is a direct bond or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkylene, C₂-C₂₀alkenylene, C₂-C₂₀alkynylene, C₆-C₂₀arylene, C₄-C₉heteroarylene, C₇-C₁₁aralkylene, C₈-C₁₁aralkenylene, C₈-C₁₁aralkynylene, C₆-C₁₁heteroaralkylene, C₇-C₁₁heteroaralkenylene, C₇-C₁₁heteroaralkynylene or C₅-C₆cycloalkylene, preferably R₂₈ is a direct bond or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkylene, more preferably a direct bond or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₆alkylene, even more preferably a direct bond or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₃alkylene, most preferably methylene; and Z⁺ is N(R₁₄)₄ ⁺, Li⁺, Na⁺ or K⁺ or is an ammonium cation which is part of a compound of formula (I) as part of group A.

For instance, A is pyridinium*Y⁻, quinolinium*Y⁻ or isoquinolinium*Y⁻, preferably pyridinium*Y⁻ or quinolinium*Y⁻, most preferably pyridinium*Y⁻, each of which is unsubstituted or substituted;

Y⁻ is an inorganic or organic anion, preferably Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻, SCN⁻, BF₄, PF₆ ⁻, ClO₄ ⁻, SbF₆ ⁻, AsF₆ ⁻ or an organic anion selected from the group consisting of carboxylate, sulphonate, sulphate, phosphate, phosphonate; n is 0 or 1, preferably 0; R₁, R₂, R₃ and R₄ are independently H, —S(═O)₂OR₇, —S(═O)₂R₇, —S(═O)R₇, —S(═O)OR₇, fluorinated C₁-C₈alkyl, a group of formula (II)

or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof; or R₁ and R₂, R₁ and R₁₅, R₁ and R₁₆, R₂ and R₁₅, R₂ and R₁₆ or R₃ and R₄ form together an unsubstituted or substituted aliphatic 5-, 6or 7-membered ring; or a substituent of A ortho to the

group and either if n is O, R₂ or if n is 1, R₄ form together an unsubstituted or substituted aliphatic 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; with the proviso that at least one of R₁-R₄ is fluorinated C₁-C₈alkyl or that R₂ or R₄ or both are —S(═O)₂OR₇, —S(═O)₂R₇, —S(═O)R₇, —S(═O)OR₇ or a group of formula (II)

R₅ is NR₈, N—OR₈, N—NR₈R₉, O or S;

R₆ is CO—SR₇, CO—NR₇—NR₁₀R₁₁, CO—NR₇—OR₁₀, CO—O—CO—R₇, CO—NR₇—CO—R₁₀, CO—NR₇—CO—OR₁₀, CO—NR₇—CO—NR₁₀R₁₁, NR₇R₁₀, OR₇, SR₇, NR₇—NR₁₀R₁₁, NR₇—OR₁₀, O—CO—R₇, O—CO—OR₇, O—CO—NR₇R₁₀, NR₇—CO—R₁₀, NR₇—CO—OR₁₀, NR₇—CO—NR₁₀R₁₁, CO—R₇, CO—OR₇, CO—NR₇R₁₀, NR₁₂—C(═NR₁₃)R₇ or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof; R₈ and R₉ are independently H or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof; R₇, R₁₀ and R₁₁ are independently H or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof; or R₇ or R₁₀ together with that group of R₁-R₄ which is attached to the same double bond as the group of R₁-R₄ comprising said R₇ or R₁₀ forms an unsubstituted or substituted aliphatic 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; or if R₇ or R₁₀ is part of R₂, it can form together with R₁₅ or R₁₆ an unsubstituted or substituted aliphatic 6- or 7-membered ring; or if R₇ or R₁₀ is part of R₂ with n being 0 or is part of R₄ with n being 1, it can form together with a substituent of A ortho to the

group an unsubstituted or substituted aliphatic 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; R₁₂ and R₁₃ form together an unsubstituted or substituted 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; R₁₄ is independently H or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, a₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl; D is a group of formula (III) or (IV), preferably of formula (III),

R₁₇ and R₁₈ are independently unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, a₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof; or R₁₇ and R₁₈, R₁₇ and R₂₂, R₁₇ and R₂₀ and/or R₁₈ and R₁₉ form together an unsubstituted or substituted 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; R₁₅, R₁₆, R₁₉, R₂₀, R₂₁, R₂₂, R₂₃ and R₂₄ are independently H, NR₂₅R₂₆, OR₂₅, SR₂₅, NR₂₅—NR₂₆R₂₇, NR₂₅—OR₂₆, O—CO—R₂₅, O—CO—OR₂₅, O—CO—NR₂₅R₂₆, NR₂₅—CO—R₂₆, NR₂₅—CO—OR₂₆, NR₂₅—CO—NR₂₆R₂₇, CO—R₂₅, O—CO—R₂₅, CO—NR₂₅R₂₆, S—CO—R₂₅, CO—R₂₅, CO—NR₂₅—NR₂₆R₂₇, CO—NR₂₅—OR₂₆, CO—O—CO—R₂₅, CO—O—CO—OR₂₅, CO—O—CO—NR₂₅R₂₆, CO—NR₂₅—CO—R₂₆, CO—NR₂₅—CO—OR₂₆, or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, a₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof; R₂₅, R₂₆ and R₂₇ are independently H or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, a₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof; with the proviso that A or at least one of R₁-R₄ or A and at least one of R₁-R₄ comprises a group G, wherein G is —R₂₈—COOH, —R₂₈—COO⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—S(═O)₂OH, —R₂₈—S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—O—S(═O)₂OH, —R₂₈—O—S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—P(═O)(OH)₂, —R₂₈—P(═O)(O⁻Z⁺)₂, —R₂₈—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻Z⁺), —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(OH)₂, —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(O⁻Z⁻)₂, —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻Z⁺); R₂₈ is a direct bond or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkylene, C₂-C₂₀alkenylene, C₂-C₂₀alkynylene, C₆-C₂₀arylene, C₄-C₉heteroarylene, C₇-C₁₁aralkylene, C₈-C₁₁aralkenylene, C₈-C₁₁aralkynylene, C₆-C₁₁heteroaralkylene, C₇-C₁₁heteroaralkenylene, C₇-C₁₁heteroaralkynylene or C₅-C₆cycloalkylene, preferably a direct bond or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkylene, more preferably a direct bond or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₆alkylene, even more preferably a direct bond or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₃alkylene, most preferably methylene; and Z⁺ is N(R₁₄)₄ ⁺, Li⁺, Na⁺ or K⁺ or is an ammonium cation which is part of a compound of formula (I) as part of group A.

Of course, the proviso that at least one of R₁-R₄ is fluorinated C₁-C₈alkyl or that R₂ or R₄ or both are —S(═O)₂OR₇, —S(═O)₂R₇, —S(═O)R₇, —S(═O)OR₇ or a group of formula (II) is to be understood, that then n is 0, R₁ or R₂ is fluorinated C₁-C₈alkyl or that R₂ is —S(═O)₂OR₇, —S(═O)₂R₇, —S(═O)R₇, —S(═O)OR₇ or a group of formula (II).

For example, A is a group of formula (V)-(IX), preferably a group of formula (V)-(VII), most preferably a group of formula (V)

Y⁻ is Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻, SCN⁻, BF₄ ⁻, PF₆ ⁻, ClO₄ ⁻, SbF₆ ⁻, AsF₆ ⁻ or an organic anion selected from the group consisting of C₁-C₂₀alkyl-COO⁻, C₆-C₂₀aryl-COO⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-S(═O)₂O⁻, C₆-C₂₀aryl-S(═O)₂O⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-O—S(═O)₂O⁻, C₆-C₂₀aryl-O—S(═O)₂O⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-P(═O)₂O⁻, C₆-C₂₀aryl-P(═O)₂O⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-O—P(═O)₂O⁻ and C₆-C₂₀aryl-O—P(═O)₂O⁻, whereby the aryl is unsubstituted or substituted by 1 to 4 C₁-C₂₀alkyl, or Y⁻ is an anionic group which is part of a compound of formula (I) and is selected from the group consisting of COO⁻, S(═O)₂O⁻, O—S(═O)₂O⁻, P(═O)(O⁻)(O⁻Z⁺), P(═O)(OH)(O⁻), O—P(═O)(O⁻)(O⁻Z⁺), O—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻), preferably Y⁻ is Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻, SCN⁻, BF₄ ⁻, PF₆ ⁻, ClO₄ ⁻, SbF₆ ⁻, AsF₆ ⁻ or an organic anion selected from the group consisting of C₁-C₂₀alkyl-COO⁻, C₆-C₂₀aryl-COO⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-S(═O)₂O⁻, O₆ ⁻ C₂₀aryl-S(═O)₂O⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-P(═O)₂O⁻ and C₆-C₂₀aryl-P(═O)₂O⁻, whereby the aryl is unsubstituted or substituted by 1 to 4 C₁-C₂₀alkyl, or Y⁻ is an anionic group which is part of a compound of formula (I) and is selected from the group consisting of COO⁻, S(═O)₂O⁻, P(═O)(O⁻)(O⁻Z⁺) and P(═O)(OH)(O⁻); more preferably Y⁻ is Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻, SCN⁻, BF₄ ⁻, PF₆ ⁻, ClO₄ ⁻, SbF₆ ⁻, AsF₆ ⁻ or an organic anion selected from the group consisting of C₁-C₂₀alkyl-COO⁻, C₆-C₂₀aryl-COO⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-S(═O)₂O⁻, C₆-C₂₀aryl-S(═O)₂O⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-P(═O)₂O⁻ and C₆-C₂₀aryl-P(═O)₂O⁻, whereby the aryl is unsubstituted or substituted by 1 to 4 C₁-C₂₀alkyl, or Y⁻ is an anionic group which is part of a compound of formula (I) and is selected from the group consisting of COO⁻; even more preferably, Y⁻ is Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻ or an organic anion which is C₆-C₂₀aryl-S(═O)₂O⁻, whereby the aryl is substituted by 1 to 4 (e.g. 1) C₁-C₂₀alkyl, most preferably Y⁻ is Br⁻; R₂₉ is G, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkynyl are unsubstituted or substituted by fluorine, pyridinium*Y⁻, quinolinium*Y⁻ or isoquinolinium*Y⁻, whereby the pyridinium, quinolinium and isoquinolinium are unsubstituted or substituted by G, C₁-C₂₀alkyl or combinations thereof; R₃₀, R₃₁, R₃₂, R₃₃, R₃₄ and R₃₅ are independently G, H, halogen, pyridinium*Y⁻, quinolinium*Y⁻, isoquinolinium*Y⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, a₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the whereby the pyridinium, quinolinium, isoquinolinium, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkynyl are unsubstituted or substituted by halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof, and the aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by 1-4 C₁-C₂₀alkyl, and whereby the pyridinium, quinolinium and isoquinolinium can be further substituted by G, C₁-C₂₀alkyl or combinations thereof; or two vicinal groups of R₂₉-R₃₅ form together trimethylene, tetramethylene or pentamethylene, each of which is unsubstituted or substituted by G, benzo, R₁₄ or combinations thereof. n is 0 or 1; R₁, R₂, R₃ and R₄ are independently H, —S(═O)₂OR₇, —S(═O)₂R₇, —S(═O)R₇, —S(═O)OR₇, fluorinated C₁-C₈alkyl, a group of formula (II), C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof, and whereby the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkynyl are unsubstituted or substituted by G, halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof, and the aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, fluorinated C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl, C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl or combinations thereof;

or R₁ is D;

or R₁ and R₁₅ or R₁ and R₁₆ form together ethylene, trimethylene, tetramethylene, methylene-O,O-methylene, ethylene-O, O-ethylene, trimethylene-O,O-trimethylene, methylene-NR₁₄, NR₁₄-methylene, ethylene-NR₁₄, NR₁₄-ethylene, trimethylene-NR₁₄ or NR₁₄-trimethylene thus forming an aliphatic 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; or R₂ and R₁₅ form together —O—, —S— or —NR₁₄—; or if D is a group of formula (IV), R₁ and R₁₈ can form together with the N-atom R₁₇ and R₁₈ are attached to

whereby in each of said groups one or more H-atom can be replaced by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₁-C₂₀alkylidene, phenyl or combinations thereof, in each of said groups two geminal H-atom can be replaced by C₁-C₂₀alkylidene, and/or in each of said groups two vicinal H-atoms can be replaced by benzo, trimethylene or tetramethylene; with the proviso that at least one of R₁-R₄ is fluorinated C₁-C₈alkyl or that R₂ or R₄ or both are —S(═O)₂OR₇, —S(═O)₂R₇, —S(═O)R₇, —S(═O)OR₇ or a group of formula (II);

R₅ is NR₈, N—OR₈, N—NR₈R₉, O or S;

R₆ is NR₇R₁₀, OR₇, SR₇, NR₇—NR₁₀R₁₁, NR₇—OR₁₀, O—CO—R₇, O—CO—OR₇, O—CO—NR₇R₁₀, NR₇—CO—R₁₀, NR₇—CO—OR₁₀, NR₇—CO—NR₁₀R₁₁, CO—R₇, CO—OR₇, CO—NR₇R₁₀, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof, and whereby the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkynyl are unsubstituted or substituted by G, halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof, and the aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, fluorinated C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl, C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl or combinations thereof; R₈ and R₉ are independently H, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof, and whereby the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkynyl are unsubstituted or substituted by G, halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof, and the aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, fluorinated C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl, C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl or combinations thereof; R₇, R₁₀ and R₁₁ are independently H, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₃-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₁-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof, and whereby the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkynyl are unsubstituted or substituted by G, halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof, and the aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, fluorinated C₁-C₂₀alkyl, fluorinated O—C₁-C₂₀alkyl, —CN, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₁-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl, C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl or combinations thereof; or R₇ or R₁₀ being part of R₂ forms together with R₁ a direct bond, methylene or ethylene thus forming an aliphatic 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; or R₇ or R₁₀ being part of R₄ forms together with R₃ a direct bond, methylene or ethylene thus forming an aliphatic 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; or if R₇ or R₁₀ is part of R₂, it can form together with R₁₅ or R₁₆ a direct bond or methylene thus forming an aliphatic 6- or 7-membered ring; or if R₇ or R₁₀ is part of R₂ with n being 0 or is part of R₄ with n being 1, it can form together with a substituent of A ortho to the

group a direct bond, methylene or ethylene thus forming an aliphatic 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; R₁₄, R₁₄′ are independently H, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl; D is independently a group of formula (III) or (IV) R₁₇ and R₁₈ are independently fluorenyl, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₄heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₁-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the fluorenyl, alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof, and whereby the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkynyl are unsubstituted or substituted by tetrahydrofuranyl, halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof, and the fluorenyl, aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by maleic anhydridyl, maleimidyl, indenyl, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₁-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₆-C₂₀cycloalkenyl, C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl or combinations thereof, whereby the maleic anhydridyl and maleimidyl are unsubstituted or substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, phenyl-NR₁₄R₁₄′ or combinations thereof; or R₁₇ and R₁₈ form together with the N they are attached to piperidinyl, piperazinyl, morpholinyl, imidazolidinyl or pyrrollidinyl, each of which is unsubstituted or substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₁-C₂₀alkylidene, benzo, trimethylene, tetramethylene or combinations thereof, which are unsubstituted or substituted by halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof; or R₁₇ and R₂₂, R₁₇ and R₂₀ and/or R₁₈ and R₁₉ form together with the N-atom R₁₇ and R₁₈ are attached to

whereby in each of said groups one or more H-atom can be replaced by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₁-C₂₀alkylidene, phenyl or combinations thereof, in each of said groups two geminal H-atom can be replaced by C₁-C₂₀alkylidene, and/or in each of said groups two vicinal H-atoms can be replaced by benzo, trimethylene or tetramethylene, whereby the benzo is unsubstituted or substituted by methyl (fluoren-9-ylidene); R₁₅, R₁₆, R₁₉, R₂₀, R₂₁, R₂₂, R₂₃ and R₂₄ are independently H, NR₂₅R₂₆, OR₂₅, SR₂₅, NR₂₅—NR₂₆R₂₇, NR₂₅—OR₂₆, O—CO—OR₂₅, O—CO—OR₂₅, O—CO—NR₂₅R₂₆, NR₂₅—CO—R₂₆, NR₂₅—CO—OR₂₆, NR₂₅—CO—NR₂₆R₂₇, CO—R₂₅, CO—OR₂₅, CO—NR₂₅R₂₆, CO—SR₂₅, CO—NR₂₅—NR₂₆R₂₇, CO—NR₂₅—CO—R₂₆, CO—O—CO—R₂₅, CO—O—CO—OR₂₅, CO—O—CO—NR₂₅R₂₆, CO—NR₂₅—CO—R₂₆, CO—NR₂₅—CO—OR₂₆, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof, and whereby the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkynyl are unsubstituted or substituted by halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof, and the aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl, C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl or combinations thereof; R₂₅, R₂₆ and R₂₇ are independently H, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof, and whereby the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkynyl are unsubstituted or substituted by pyridinium*Y⁻, maleic anhydridyl, maleimidyl, halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof, and the aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl, C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl or combinations thereof, whereby the pyridinium, maleic anhydridyl, maleimidyl are unsusbstituted or substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₆-C₂₀aryl-O—R₁₄, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl, C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′ or combinations thereof; with the proviso that at least one of R₂₉-R₃₅ or at least one of R₁-R₄ or at least one of R₂₉-R₃₅ and at least one of R₁-R₄ comprises a group G; wherein G is —R₂₈—COOH, —R₂₈—COO⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—S(═O)₂OH, —R₂₈—S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—O—S(═O)₂OH, —R₂₈—O—S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—P(═O)(OH)₂, —R₂₈—P(═O)(O⁻Z⁺)₂, —R₂₈—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻Z⁺), —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(OH)₂, —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(O⁻Z⁺)₂, —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻Z⁺), R₂₈ is a direct bond or C₁-C₂₀alkylene, C₂-C₂₀alkenylene, C₂-C₂₀alkynylene, C₆-C₂₀arylene, C₄-C₉heteroarylene, C₇-C₁₁aralkylene, C₈-C₁₁aralkenylene, C₈-C₁₁aralkynylene, C₆-C₁₁heteroaralkylene, C₇-C₁₁heteroaralkenylene, C₇-C₁₁heteroaralkynylene or C₅-C₆cycloalkylene, whereby each of said groups is unsubstituted or substituted by halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof, and the arylene and heteroarylene can be further substituted by 1-4 C₁-C₂₀alkyl; Z⁺ is N(R₁₄)₄ ⁺, Li⁺, Na⁺ or K⁺ or is the cationic group

which is part of a compound of formula (I) as part of group A; or the compound of formula (I) is dimeric and one of R₆, R₇, R₁₀, R₂₉-R₃₅ is R₃₆, or R₁ is

or R₂ is

or R₃ is

or R₄ is

or R₁₈ is

or R₂₀ is

or R₂₁ is

or one of R₃₀-R₃₅ is

A′ is as defined for A; D′ is as defined for D; R₁′ is as defined for R₁; R₂′ is as defined for R₂; R₃′ is as defined for R₃; R₄′ is as defined for R₄;

R₁″, R₂″, R₃″, R₄″ are R₃₆; R₁₈′ is R₃₇;

R₂₀′ and R₂₁′ are R₃₇, O—R₃₇—O, S—R₃₇—S, NR₁₄—R₃₇—NR₁₄′, CO—O—R₃₇—CO, CO—O—R₃₇—O—CO, CO—NR₁₄—R₃₇—NR₁₄′—CO, CO—S—R₃₇—S—CO, O—CO—R₃₇—CO—O, NR₁₄—CO—R₃₇—CO—NR₁₄′ or S—CO—R₃₇—CO—S; R₃₆ is as defined for R₃₇, whereby the alkylene, alkenylene, alkynylene, arylene, heteroarylene, aralkylene, aralkenylene, aralkynylene, cycloalkylene, alkylene-arylene-alkylene, cycloalkenylene and cycloalkynylene can be further substituted by G; R₃₇ is C₁-C₂₀alkylene, C₂-C₂₀alkenylene, C₂-C₂₀alkynylene, C₆-C₂₀arylene, C₄-C₂₀heteroarylene, C₇-C₂₀aralkylene, C₈-C₂₀aralkenylene, C₈-C₂₀aralkynylene, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkylene, C₁-C₈alkylene-C₆-C₂₀arylene-C₁-C₈alkylene (e.g.

C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenylene or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynylene, whereby the alkylene and cycloalkylene is uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof, and whereby the alkylene, alkenylene, alkynylene, arylene, heteroarylene, aralkylene, aralkenylene, aralkynylene, cycloalkylene, alkylene-arylene-alkylene, cycloalkenylene and cycloalkynylene are unsubstituted or substituted by fluorine, and whereby the arylene, heteroarylene and aryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, fluorinated C₁-C₂₀alkyl or combinations thereof, preferably R₃₇ is C₁-C₂₀alkylene; and the remainder of the substituents are as defined above.

For example, A is a group of formula (V)-(IX), preferably a group of formula (V)-(VII), most preferably a group of formula (V)

Y⁻ is Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻, SCN⁻, BF₄ ⁻, PF₆ ⁻, ClO₄ ⁻, SbF₆, AsF₆ ⁻ or an organic anion selected from the group consisting of C₁-C₂₀alkyl-COO⁻, C₆-C₂₀aryl-COO⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-S(═O)₂O⁻, C₆-C₂₀aryl-S(═O)₂O⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-O—S(═O)₂O⁻, C₆-C₂₀aryl-O—S(═O)₂O⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-P(═O)₂O⁻, C₆-C₂₀aryl-P(═O)₂O⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-O—P(═O)₂O⁻ and C₆-C₂₀aryl-O—P(═O)₂O⁻, whereby the aryl is unsubstituted or substituted by 1 to 4 C₁-C₂₀alkyl, or Y⁻ is an anionic group which is part of a compound of formula (I) and is selected from the group consisting of COO⁻, S(═O)₂O⁻, O—S(═O)₂O⁻, P(═O)(O⁻)(O⁻Z⁺), P(═O)(OH)(O⁻), O—P(═O)(O⁻)(O⁻Z⁺), O—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻); preferably Y⁻ is Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻, SCN⁻, BF₄ ⁻, PF₆ ⁻, ClO₄ ⁻, SbF₆ ⁻, AsF₆ ⁻ or an organic anion selected from the group consisting of C₁-C₂₀alkyl-COO⁻, C₆-C₂₀aryl-COO⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-S(═O)₂O⁻, C₆-C₂₀aryl-S(═O)₂O⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-P(═O)₂O⁻ and C₆-C₂₀aryl-P(═O)₂O⁻, whereby the aryl is unsubstituted or substituted by 1 to 4 C₁-C₂₀alkyl, or Y⁻ is an anionic group which is part of a compound of formula (I) and is selected from the group consisting of COO⁻, S(═O)₂O⁻, P(═O)(O⁻)(O⁻Z⁺) and P(═O)(OH)(O⁻); more preferably Y⁻ is Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻, SCN⁻, BF₄ ⁻, PF₆ ⁻, ClO₄ ⁻, SbF₆ ⁻, AsF₆ ⁻ or an organic anion selected from the group consisting of C₁-C₂₀alkyl-COO⁻, C₆-C₂₀aryl-COO⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-S(═O)₂O⁻, C₆-C₂₀aryl-S(═O)₂O⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-P(═O)₂O⁻ and C₆-C₂₀aryl-P(═O)₂O⁻, whereby the aryl is unsubstituted or substituted by 1 to 4 C₁-C₂₀alkyl, or Y⁻ is an anionic group which is part of a compound of formula (I) and is selected from the group consisting of COO⁻; even more preferably, Y⁻ is Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻, most preferably Y⁻ is Br⁻; R₂₉ is G, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₉heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkynyl are unsubstituted or substituted by fluorine, pyridinium*Y⁻, quinolinium*Y⁻ or isoquinolinium*Y⁻, whereby the pyridinium, quinolinium and isoquinolinium are unsubstituted or substituted by G, C₁-C₂₀alkyl or combinations thereof; R₃₀, R₃₁, R₃₂, R₃₃, R₃₄ and R₃₅ are independently G, H, halogen, pyridinium*Y⁻, quinolinium*Y⁻, isoquinolinium*Y⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, a₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the whereby the pyridinium, quinolinium, isoquinolinium, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkynyl are unsubstituted or substituted by halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof, and the aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by 1-4 C₁-C₂₀alkyl, and whereby the pyridinium, quinolinium and isoquinolinium can be further substituted by G, C₁-C₂₀alkyl or combinations thereof; or two vicinal groups of R₂₉-R₃₅ form together trimethylene, tetramethylene or pentamethylene, each of which is unsubstituted or substituted by G, benzo, R₁₄ or combinations thereof. n is 0 or 1; R₁, R₂, R₃ and R₄ are independently H, —S(═O)₂OR₇, —S(═O)₂R₇, —S(═O)R₇, —S(═O)OR₇, fluorinated C₁-C₈alkyl, a group of formula (II), C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof, and whereby the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkynyl are unsubstituted or substituted by G, halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof, and the aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, fluorinated C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl, C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl or combinations thereof; or R₁ and R₁₅ or R₁ and R₁₆ form together ethylene, trimethylene, tetramethylene, methylene-O,O-methylene, ethylene-O,O-ethylene, trimethylene-O,O-trimethylene, methylene-NR₁₄, NR₁₄-methylene, ethylene-NR₁₄, NR₁₄-ethylene, trimethylene-NR₁₄ or NR₁₄-trimethylene thus forming an aliphatic 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; with the proviso that at least one of R₁-R₄ is fluorinated C₁-C₈alkyl or that R₂ or R₄ or both are —S(═O)₂OR₇, —S(═O)₂R₇, —S(═O)R₇, —S(═O)OR₇ or a group of formula (II);

R₅ is NR₈, N—OR₈, N—NR₈R₉, O or S;

R₆ is NR₇R₁₀, OR₇, SR₇, NR₇—NR₁₀R₁₁, NR₇—OR₁₀, O—CO—R₇, O—CO—OR₇, O—CO—NR₇R₁₀, NR₇—CO—R₁₀, NR₇—CO—OR₁₀, NR₇—CO—NR₁₀R₁₁, CO—R₇, CO—OR₇, CO—NR₇R₁₀, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof, and whereby the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkynyl are unsubstituted or substituted by G, halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof, and the aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, fluorinated C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl, C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl or combinations thereof; R₈ and R₉ are independently H, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof, and whereby the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkynyl are unsubstituted or substituted by G, halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof, and the aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, fluorinated C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl, C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl or combinations thereof; R₇, R₁₀ and R₁₁ are independently H, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof, and whereby the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkynyl are unsubstituted or substituted by G, halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof, and the aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, fluorinated C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl, C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl or combinations thereof; or R₇ or R₁₀ being part of R₂ forms together with R₁ a direct bond, methylene or ethylene thus forming an aliphatic 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; or R₇ or R₁₀ being part of R₄ forms together with R₃ a direct bond, methylene or ethylene thus forming an aliphatic 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; or if R₇ or R₁₀ is part of R₂, it can form together with R₁₅ or R₁₆ a direct bond or methylene thus forming an aliphatic 6- or 7-membered ring; or if R₇ or R₁₀ is part of R₂ with n being 0 or is part of R₄ with n being 1, it can form together with a substituent of A ortho to the

group a direct bond, methylene or ethylene thus forming an aliphatic 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; R₁₄, R₁₄′ are independently H, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl; D is a group of formula (III) or (IV) R₁₇ and R₁₈ are independently fluorenyl, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₁-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₁-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the fluorenyl, alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof, and whereby the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkynyl are unsubstituted or substituted by tetrahydrofuranyl, halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof, and the fluorenyl, aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by maleic anhydridyl, maleimidyl, indenyl, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₁-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl, C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl or combinations thereof, whereby the maleic anhydridyl and maleimidyl are unsubstituted or substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, phenyl-NR₁₄R₁₄′ or combinations thereof; or R₁₇ and R₁₈ form together with the N they are attached to piperidinyl, piperazinyl, morpholinyl, imidazolidinyl or pyrrollidinyl, each of which is unsubstituted or substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₁-C₂₀alkylidene, benzo, trimethylene, tetramethylene or combinations thereof, which are unsubstituted or substituted by halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof; or R₁₇ and R₂₂, R₁₇ and R₂₀ and/or R₁₈ and R₁₉ form together with the N-atom R₁₇ and R₁₈ are attached to

whereby in each of said groups one or more H-atom can be replaced by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₁-C₂₀alkylidene, phenyl or combinations thereof, in each of said groups two geminal H-atom can be replaced by C_(r) C₂₀alkylidene, and/or in each of said groups two vicinal H-atoms can be replaced by benzo, trimethylene or tetramethylene; R₁₅, R₁₆, R₁₉, R₂₀, R₂₁, R₂₂, R₂₃ and R₂₄ are independently H, NR₂₅R₂₆, OR₂₅, SR₂₅, NR₂₅—NR₂₆R₂₇, NR₂₅—OR₂₆, O—CO—R₂₅, O—CO—OR₂₅, O—CO—NR₂₅R₂₆, NR₂₅—CO—R₂₆, NR₂₅—CO—OR₂₆, NR₂₅—CO—NR₂₆R₂₇, CO—R₂₅, CO—OR₂₅, CO—NR₂₅R₂₆, CO—SR₂₅, CO—NR₂₅—NR₂₆R₂₇, CO—NR₂₅—OR₂₆, CO—O—CO—R₂₅, CO—O—O—CO—R₂₅, CO—O—CO—NR₂₅R₂₆, CO—NR₂₅—CO—R₂₆, CO—NR₂₅—OR₂₆, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₁-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof, and whereby the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkynyl are unsubstituted or substituted by halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof, and the aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl, C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl or combinations thereof; R₂₅, R₂₆ and R₂₇ are independently H, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof, and whereby the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkynyl are unsubstituted or substituted by pyridinium*Y⁻, maleic anhydridyl, maleimidyl, halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof, and the aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl, C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl or combinations thereof, whereby the pyridinium, maleic anhydridyl, maleimidyl are unsusbstituted or substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₆-C₂₀aryl-O—R₁₄, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl, C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′ or combinations thereof; with the proviso that at least one of R₂₉-R₃₅ or at least one of R₁-R₄ or at least one of R₂₉-R₃₅ and at least one of R₁-R₄ comprises a group G; wherein G is —R₂₈—COOH, —R₂₈—COO⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—S(═O)₂OH, —R₂₈—S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—O—S(═O)₂OH, —R₂₈—O—S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—P(═O)(OH)₂, —R₂₈—P(═O)(O⁻Z⁺)₂, —R₂₈—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻Z⁺), —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(OH)₂, —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(O⁻Z⁺)₂, —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻Z⁺), preferably G is —R₂₈—COOH, —R₂₈—COO⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—S(═O)₂OH, —R₂₈—S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—O—S(═O)₂OH, —R₂₈—O—S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—P(═O)(OH)₂, —R₂₈—P(═O)(O⁻Z⁺)₂, —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻Z⁺), —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(OH)₂, —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(O⁻Z⁺)₂, —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻); more preferably G is —R₂₈—COOH, —R₂₈—COO⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—S(═O)₂OH, —R₂₈—S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—P(═O)(OH)₂, —R₂₈—P(═O)(O⁻Z⁺)₂ or —R₂₈—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻Z⁺); even more preferably G is —R₂₈—COOH, —R₂₈—COO⁻Z⁺, most preferably G is —R₂₈—COOH; R₂₈ is a direct bond or C₁-C₂₀alkylene, C₂-C₂₀alkenylene, C₂-C₂₀alkynylene, C₆-C₂₀arylene, C₄-C₉heteroarylene, C₇-C₁₁aralkylene, C₈-C₁₁aralkenylene, C₈-C₁₁aralkynylene, C₆-C₁₁heteroaralkylene, C₇-C₁₁heteroaralkenylene, C₇-C₁₁heteroaralkynylene or C₅-C₆cycloalkylene, whereby each of said groups is unsubstituted or substituted by halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof, and the arylene and heteroarylene can be further substituted by 1-4 C₁-C₂₀alkyl; Z⁺ is N(R₁₄)₄ ⁺, Li⁺, Na⁺ or K⁺ or is the cationic group

which is part of a compound of formula (I) as part of group A; preferably Z⁺ is N(R₁₄)₄ ⁺; most preferably Z⁺ is N(C₁-C₁₀alkyl)₄ ⁺; or the compound of formula (I) is dimeric and one of R₆, R₇, R₁₀, R₂₉-R₃₅ is R₃₆, or R₁ is

or R₂ is

or R₃ is

or R₄ is

or R₁₈ is

or R₂₀ is

or R₂₁ is

or one of R₃₀-R₃₅ is

A′ is as defined for A; D′ is as defined for D; R₁′ is as defined for R₁; R₂′ is as defined for R₂; R₃′ is as defined for R₃; R₄′ is as defined for R₄;

R₁″, R₂″, R₃″, R₄″ are R₃₆; R₁₈′ is R₃₇;

R₂₀′ and R₂₁′ are R₃₇, O—R₃₇—O, S—R₃₇—S, NR₁₄—R₃₇—NR₁₄′, CO—R₃₇—CO, CO—O—R₃₇—O—CO, CO—NR₁₄—R₃₇—NR₁₄′—CO, CO—S—R₃₇—S—CO, O—CO—R₃₇—CO—O, NR₁₄—CO—R₃₇—CO—NR₁₄′ or S—CO—R₃₇—CO—S; R₃₆ is as defined for R₃₇, whereby the alkylene, alkenylene, alkynylene, arylene, heteroarylene, aralkylene, aralkenylene, aralkynylene, cycloalkylene, alkylene-arylene-alkylene, cycloalkenylene and cycloalkynylene can be further substituted by G; R₃₇ is C₁-C₂₀alkylene, C₂-C₂₀alkenylene, C₂-C₂₀alkynylene, C₆-C₂₀arylene, C₄-C₂₀heteroarylene, C₇-C₂₀aralkylene, C₈-C₂₀aralkenylene, C₈-C₂₀aralkynylene, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkylene, C₁-C₈alkylene-C₆-C₂₀arylene-C₁-C₈alkylene (e.g.

C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenylene or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynylene, whereby the alkylene and cycloalkylene is uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof, and whereby the alkylene, alkenylene, alkynylene, arylene, heteroarylene, aralkylene, aralkenylene, aralkynylene, cycloalkylene, alkylene-arylene-alkylene, cycloalkenylene and cycloalkynylene are unsubstituted or substituted by fluorine, and whereby the arylene, heteroarylene and aryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, fluorinated C₁-C₂₀alkyl or combinations thereof, preferably R₃₇ is C₁-C₂₀alkylene; and the remainder of the substituents are as defined above.

Of course, the proviso that at least one of R₂₉-R₃₅ or at least one of R₁-R₄ or at least one of R₂₉-R₃₅ and at least one of R₁-R₄ comprises a group G is to be understood that one of the groups R₂₉-R₃₅ and R₁-R₄ which is present in the compound of formula (I) comprises the group G. R₁′-R₄′ are as defined for R₁-R₄ is to be understood as not to comprise the proviso for R₁-R₄.

For example, the compound of formula (I) is dimeric and one of R₆, R₇, R₁₀, R₂₉-R₃₅ is R₃₆ is to be understood that the dimer contains two (e.g. identical) moieties of formula (I) which are connected by the above mentioned R₃₆.

For instance, A is a group of formula (V)-(VII′), preferably a group of formula (V′);

Y⁻ is Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻, SCN⁻, BF₄, PF₆ ⁻, ClO₄ ⁻, SbF₆ ⁻, AsF₆ ⁻ or an organic anion selected from the group consisting of, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-S(═O)₂O⁻, C₆-C₂₀aryl-S(═O)₂O⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-O—S(═O)₂O⁻, C₆-C₂₀aryl-O—S(═O)₂O⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-P(═O)₂O⁻, C₆-C₂₀aryl-P(═O)₂O⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-O—P(═O)₂O⁻ and C₆-C₂₀aryl-O—P(═O)₂O⁻, whereby the aryl is unsubstituted or substituted by 1 to 4 C₁-C₂₀alkyl, or Y⁻ is an anionic group which is part of a compound of formula (I) and is selected from the group consisting of COO⁻, S(═O)₂O⁻, O—S(═O)₂O⁻, P(═O)(O⁻)(O⁻Z⁺), P(═O)(OH)(O⁻), O—P(═O)(O⁻)(O⁻Z⁺) and O—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻); R₂₉ is G or C₁-C₈alkyl, whereby the alkyl is unsubstituted or substituted by pyridinium*Y⁻ or quinolinium*Y⁻, whereby the pyridinium and quinolinium are substituted by G; R₃₀, R₃₁, R₃₂, R₃₃, R₃₄ and R₃₅ are independently H, pyridinium*Y⁻ or quinolinium*Y⁻, whereby the pyridinium and quinolinium are substituted by G; n is 0 or 1; R₁, R₂, R₃ and R₄ are independently H, —S(═O)₂OR₇, —S(═O)₂R₇, —S(═O)R₇, —S(═O)OR₇, fluorinated C₁-C₄alkyl, a group of formula (II), C₁-C₈alkyl or C₆aryl;

or R₁ is D;

or R₁ and R₁₅ form together ethylene, trimethylene, methylene-O,O-methylene, ethylene-O,O-ethylene, methylene-NR₁₄, NR₁₄-methylene, ethylene-NR₁₄ or NR₁₄-ethylene, thus forming an aliphatic 5- or 6-membered ring; or R₂ and R₁₅ form together —O—, —S— or —NR₁₄—, preferably —O—; or if D is a group of formula (IV), R₁ and R₁₈ can form together with the N-atom R₁₇ and R₁₈are attached to

in each of said groups two vicinal H-atoms can be replaced by benzo, preferably form

with the proviso that at least one of R₁-R₄ is fluorinated C₁-C₄alkyl or that R₂ or R₄ or both are —S(═O)₂OR₇, —S(═O)₂R₇, —S(═O)R₇, —S(═O)OR₇ or a group of formula (II);

R₆ is O;

R₆ is NR₇R₁₀, OR₇, SR₇, NR₇—NR₁₀R₁₁, NR₇—R₁₀; R₇, R₁₀ and R₁₁ are independently H, C₁-C₈alkyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₃-C₁₆heteroaryl or C₇-C₁₀aralkyl, and whereby the alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl and aralkyl are unsubstituted or substituted by halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′ or NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, and the aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₁₀alkyl or fluorinated C₁-C₈alkyl, fluorinated O—C₁-C₈alkyl, —CN or combinations thereof; or R₇ being part of R₂ forms together with R₁ a direct bond or methylene thus forming an aliphatic 5- or 6-membered ring; or if R₇ is part of R₂, it can form together with R₁₅ a direct bond thus forming an aliphatic 6-membered ring; or if R₇ or R₁₀ is part of R₂ with n being 0, it can form together with a substituent of A ortho to the

group a direct bond or methylene thus forming an aliphatic 5- or 6-membered ring; R₁₄, R₁₄′ are independently H, C₁-C₁₄alkyl, C₆aryl or C₇-C₁₀aralkyl; D is independently a group of formula (III) or (IV); R₁₇ and R₁₈ are independently C₁-C₈alkyl, C₂-C₈alkenyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₄heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₁₀aralkynyl or C₅-C₁₂cycloalkyl, whereby the alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl and cycloalkyl, are unsubstituted or substituted by tetrahydrofuranyl, halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′ or combinations thereof, and the aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₈alkyl, C₂-C₈alkenyl or C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl; or R₁₇ and R₂₀ form together with the N-atom R₁₇ and R₁₈ are attached to

whereby in each of said groups one or more H-atom can be replaced by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl or combinations thereof, in each of said groups two geminal H-atom can be replaced by C₁-C₂₀alkylidene, and/or in each of said groups two vicinal H-atoms can be replaced by benzo, trimethylene or tetramethylene, whereby the benzo is unsubstituted or substituted by methyl(fluoren-9-ylidene);

R₁₅ is H, NR₂₅R₂₆, OR₂₅, SR₂₅, O—CO—R₂₅ or NR₂₅—CO—R₂₆; R₁₉, R₂₀ and R₂₁ are H;

R₂₅ and R₂₆ are independently H, C₁-C₁₄alkyl, C₆aryl or C₇-C₁₀aralkyl, whereby the alkyl, aryl and aralkyl are unsubstituted or substituted by pyridinium*Y⁻, halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′ or combinations thereof, and the pyridinium and aryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₈alkyl; with the proviso that at least one of R₂₉-R₃₅ comprises a group G; wherein G is —R₂₈—COOH, —R₂₈—COO⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—S(═O)₂OH, —R₂₈—S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—O—S(═O)₂OH, —R₂₈—O—S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—P(═O)(OH)₂, —R₂₈—P(═O)(O⁻Z⁺)₂, —R₂₈—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻Z⁺), —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(OH)₂, —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(O⁻Z⁺)₂ or —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻Z⁺), R₂₈ is C₁-C₈alkylene, which is unsubstituted or substituted by CO—OH;

Z⁺ is N(R₁₄)₄ ⁺, Li⁺, Na⁺ or K⁺ or is the cationic group

which is part of a compound of formula (I) as part of group A; or the compound of formula (I) is dimeric and one of R₆, R₇, R₁₀, R₂₉ is R₃₆, or R₁₈ is

or R₂₀ is

or R₂₁ is

A′ is as defined for A; D′ is as defined for D; R₁′ is as defined for R₁; R₂′ is as defined for R₂; R₃′ is as defined for R₃; R₄′ is as defined for R₄;

R₁₈′ is R₃₇;

R₂₀′ and R₂₁′ are R₃₇, O—R₃₇—O, S—R₃₇—S, NR₁₄—R₃₇—NR₁₄′, O—CO—R₃₇—CO—O, NR₁₄—CO—R₃₇—CO—NR₁₄′ or S—CO—R₃₇—CO—S; R₃₆ is as defined for R₃₇, whereby the alkylene, arylene and alkylene-arylene-alkylene can be further substituted by G; R₃₇ is C₁-C₂₀alkylene, C₆-C₁₀arylene or C₁alkylene-C₆arylene-C₁alkylene, whereby the alkylene is uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof (e.g. the alkylene is uninterrupted), and whereby the alkylene, arylene and alkylene-arylene-alkylene are unsubstituted or substituted by fluorine, and whereby the arylene can be further substituted by C₁-C₈alkyl, fluorinated C₁-C₈alkyl or combinations thereof; and the remainder of the substituents are as defined above. For instance, A is a group of formula (V)-(VII′), preferably (V′)

Y⁻ is Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻, SCN⁻, BF₄ ⁻, PF₆ ⁻, ClO₄ ⁻, SbF₆ ⁻, AsF₆ ⁻ or an organic anion selected from the group consisting of, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-S(═O)₂O⁻, C₆-C₂₀aryl-S(═O)₂O⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-O—S(═O)₂O⁻, C₆-C₂₀aryl-O—S(═O)₂O⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-P(═O)₂O⁻, C₆-C₂₀aryl-P(═O)₂O⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-O—P(═O)₂O⁻ and C₆-C₂₀aryl-O—P(═O)₂O⁻, whereby the aryl is unsubstituted or substituted by 1 to 4 C₁-C₂₀alkyl, or Y⁻ is an anionic group which is part of a compound of formula (I) and is selected from the group consisting of COO⁻, S(═O)₂O⁻, O—S(═O)₂O⁻, P(═O)(O⁻)(O⁻Z⁺), P(═O)(OH)(O⁻), O—P(═O)(O⁻)(O⁻Z⁺) and O—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻); R₂₉ is G or C₁-C₈alkyl, whereby the alkyl is unsubstituted or substituted by pyridinium*Y⁻ or quinolinium*Y⁻, whereby the pyridinium and quinolinium are substituted by G; R₃₀, R₃₁, R₃₂, R₃₃, R₃₄ and R₃₅ are independently H, pyridinium*Y⁻ or quinolinium*Y⁻, whereby the pyridinium and quinolinium are substituted by G; n is 0 or 1; R₁, R₂, R₃ and R₄ are independently H, —S(═O)₂OR₇, —S(═O)₂OR₇, —S(═O)R₇, —S(═O)₂R₇, fluorinated C₁-C₄alkyl, a group of formula (II), C₁-C₈alkyl or C₆aryl; or R₁ and R₁₅ form together ethylene, trimethylene, methylene-O,O-methylene, ethylene-O,O-ethylene, methylene-NR₁₄, NR₁₄-methylene, ethylene-NR₁₄ or NR₁₄-ethylene, thus forming an aliphatic 5- or 6-membered ring; with the proviso that at least one of R₁-R₄ is fluorinated C₁-C₄alkyl or that R₂ or R₄ or both are —S(═O)₂OR₇, —S(═O)₂R₇, —S(═O)R₇, —S(═O)OR₇ or a group of formula (II);

R₆ is O;

R₆ is NR₇R₁₀, OR₇, SR₇, NR₇—NR₁₀R₁₁, NR₇—R₁₀; R₇, R₁₀ and R₁₁ are independently H, C₁-C₈alkyl, C₆aryl or C₇-C₁₀aralkyl, and whereby the alkyl, aryl and aralkyl are unsubstituted or substituted by halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′ or NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, and the aryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₁₀alkyl or fluorinated C₁-C₈alkyl or combinations thereof; or R₇ being part of R₂ forms together with R₁ a direct bond or methylene thus forming an aliphatic 5- or 6-membered ring; or if R₇ is part of R₂, it can form together with R₁₅ a direct bond thus forming an aliphatic 6-membered ring; or if R₇ or R₁₀ is part of R₂ with n being 0, it can form together with a substituent of A ortho to the

group a direct bond or methylene thus forming an aliphatic 5- or 6-membered ring; R₁₄, R₁₄′ are independently H, C₁-C₈alkyl, C₆aryl or C₇-C₁₀aralkyl; D is a group of formula (III); R₁₇ and R₁₈ are independently C₁-C₈alkyl, C₂-C₈alkenyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₁₆heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₁₀aralkynyl or C₆-C₁₂cycloalkyl, whereby the alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl and cycloalkyl, are unsubstituted or substituted by tetrahydrofuranyl, halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′ or combinations thereof, and the aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₈alkyl, C₂-C₈alkenyl or C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl; or R₁₇ and R₂₀ form together with the N-atom R₁₇ and R₁₈ are attached to

whereby in each of said groups one or more H-atom can be replaced by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl or combinations thereof, in each of said groups two geminal H-atom can be replaced by C₁-C₂₀alkylidene, and/or in each of said groups two vicinal H-atoms can be replaced by trimethylene or tetramethylene;

R₁₅ is H, NR₂₅R₂₆, OR₂₅, SR₂₅, O—CO—R₂₅ or NR₂₅—CO—R₂₆; R₁₉, R₂₀ and R₂₁ are H;

R₂₅ and R₂₆ are independently H, C₁-C₁₄alkyl, C_(o)aryl or C₇-C₁₀aralkyl, whereby the alkyl, aryl and aralkyl are unsubstituted or substituted by pyridinium*Y⁻, halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R_(14′), CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′ or combinations thereof, and the pyridinium and aryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₈alkyl; with the proviso that at least one of R₂₉-R₃₅ comprises a group G; wherein G is —R₂₈—COOH, —R₂₈—COO⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—S(═O)₂OH, —R₂₈—S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—O—S(═O)₂OH, —R₂₈—O—S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—P(═O)(OH)₂, —R₂₈—P(═O)(O⁻Z⁺)₂, —R₂₈—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻Z⁺), —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(OH)₂, —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(O⁻Z⁺)₂ or —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻Z⁺), R₂₈ is C₁-C₈alkylene; Z⁺ is N(R₁₄)₄ ⁺, Li⁺, Na⁺ or K⁺ or is the cationic group

which is part of a compound of formula (I) as part of group A; or the compound of formula (I) is dimeric and one of R₆, R₇, R₁₀, R₂₉ is R₃₆, or R₁₈ is

or R₂₀ is

or R₂₁ is

A′ is as defined for A; D′ is as defined for D; R₁′ is as defined for R₁; R₂′ is as defined for R₂; R₃′ is as defined for R₃; R₄′ is as defined for R₄;

R₁₈′ is R₃₇;

R₂₀′ and R₂₁′ are R₃₇, O—R₃₇—O, S—R₃₇—S, NR₁₄—R₃₇—NR₁₄′, O—CO—R₃₇—CO—O, NR₁₄—CO—R₃₇—CO—NR₁₄′ or S—CO—R₃₇—CO—S; R₃₆ is as defined for R₃₇, whereby the alkylene, arylene and alkylene-arylene-alkylene can be further substituted by G; R₃₇ is C₁-C₂₀alkylene, C₆-C₁₀arylene or C₁alkylene-C₆arylene-C₁alkylene, whereby the alkylene is uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof (e.g. the alkylene is uninterrupted), and whereby the alkylene, arylene and alkylene-arylene-alkylene are unsubstituted or substituted by fluorine, and whereby the arylene can be further substituted by C₁-C₈alkyl, fluorinated C₁-C₈alkyl or combinations thereof; and the remainder of the substituents are as defined above.

For example, A is a group of formula (V′);

Y⁻ is Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻ or C₆aryl-S(═O)₂O⁻, whereby the aryl is substituted by 1 C₁-C₁₄alkyl,

R₂₉ is G; R₃₀, R₃₁, R₃₂ and R₃₃ are H;

n is 0 or 1;

R₁ is H;

if n is 1, when R₁ can additionally be D; if n is 0, when R₂ a group of formula (II);

if n is 1, R₂ is H or R₂ and R₁₅ form together —O—, preferably R₂ is H;

R₃ is H;

R₄ is a group of formula (II), with the proviso that either R₂ or R₄ is a group of formula (II);

R₆ is O;

R₆ is NR₇R₁₀, NHR₇, OR₇, or N(C₁-C_(s)alkyl)-O(C₁-C_(s)alkyl); R₇ and R₁₀ are independently C₁-C₁₄alkyl, fluorinated C₁-C₄alkyl, benzyl, C₃-C₁₄heteroaryl or C₆-C₂₀aryl, whereby the alkyl can be substituted by N—(C₁-C₉alkyl)₂, the heteroaryl can be substituted by CO—O—C₁-C₈alkyl or C₁-C₈alkyl, the benzyl and aryl can be substituted by fluorine, C₁-C₉alkyl, fluorinated C₁-C₄alkyl, O—C₁-C₈alkyl or N—(C₁-C₈alkyl)₂ or the aryl can be substituted by chlorine, CO—C₁-C₈alkyl, —CN, fluorinated C₁-C₄alkyl or fluorinated O—C₁-C₄alkyl; D is a group of formula (III); R₁₇ is C₁-C₈alkyl; or R₁₇ and R₂₀ form together with the N-atom R₁₇ and R₁₈ are attached to

R₁₈ is C₁-C₈alkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₆-C₂₄ heteroaryl or C₆-C₂₀aryl, whereby the aryl can be substituted by fluorine, C₁-C₈alkyl, S—C₁-C₈alkyl, O—C₁-C₁₄alkyl, CO—O—C₁-C₈alkyl, O-phenyl, N-(phenyl)₂ or C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, and whereby the heteroaryl can be substituted by C₁-C₈alkyl, O—C₁-C₈alkyl or C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl;

R₁₅ is H, OR₂₅ or O—CO—R₂₅; R₁₉, R₂₀ and R₂₁ are H;

R₂₅ is C₁-C₁₄alkyl or C₇-C₁₀aralkyl, whereby the alkyl can be substituted by pyridinium*Y⁻, and the pyridinium is substituted by C₁-C₈alkyl; with the proviso that R₂₉ comprises a group G;

G is —R₂₈—COOH;

R₂₈ is C₁-C₃alkylene which is unsubstituted or substituted by CO—OH, preferably R₂₈ is C₁alkylene; or the compound of formula (I) is dimeric, n is 0, and either R₇ is C₆arylene or R₂₁ is

A′ is

R₁′ is H;

R₂′ is H or a group of formula (II); R₂₁′ is O—C₁-C₈alkylene-O; and the remainder of the substituents are as defined above.

For instance, A is a group of formula (V′);

Y⁻ is Cl⁻, Br⁻; I⁻, R₂₉ is G; R₃₀, R₃₁, R₃₂ and R₃₃ are H;

n is 0 or 1;

R₁ is H;

if n is 0, when R₂ a group of formula (II);

if n is 1, R₂ is H; R₃ is H;

R₄ is a group of formula (II), with the proviso that either R₂ or R₄ is a group of formula (II);

R₆ is O;

R₆ is NR₇R₁₀, NHR₇, OR₇ or N(C₁-C₈alkyl)-O(C₁-C₈alkyl); R₇ and R₁₀ are independently C₁-C₁₄alkyl, fluorinated C₁-C₄alkyl, benzyl or C₆aryl, whereby the benzyl and aryl can be substituted by fluorine, C₁-C₈alkyl, fluorinated C₁-C₄alkyl, O—C₁-C₈alkyl or N—(C₁-C₈alkyl)₂; D is a group of formula (III); R₁₇ is C₁-C₈alkyl; or R₁₇ and R₂₀ form together with the N-atom R₁₇ and R₁₈ are attached to

R₁₈ is C₁-C₈alkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₆-C₁₄ heteroaryl or C₆-C₂₀aryl, whereby the aryl can be substituted by fluorine, S—C₁-C₈alkyl, O—C₁-C₈alkyl, O-phenyl or C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, and whereby the heteroaryl is substituted by C₁-C₈alkyl;

R₁₅ is H, OR₂₅ or O—CO—R₂₅; R₁₉, R₂₀ and R₂₁ are H;

R₂₅ is C₁-C₁₄alkyl or C₇-C₁₀aralkyl, whereby the alkyl can be substituted by pyridinium*Y⁻, and the pyridinium is substituted by C₁-C₈alkyl; with the proviso that R₂₉ comprises a group G;

G is —R₂₈—COOH;

R₂₈ is C₁-C₃alkylene, preferably C_(i)alkylene; or the compound of formula (I) is dimeric, n is 0, and either R₇ is C₆arylene or R₂₁ is

A′ is

R₁′ is H;

R₂′ is H or a group of formula (II); R₂₁′ is O—C₁-C₈alkylene-O; and the remainder of the substituents are as defined above. For example, A is a group of formula (V′); Y⁻ is Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻ or C₆aryl-S(═O)₂O⁻, whereby the aryl is substituted by 1 C₁-C₁₄alkyl,

R₂₉ is G; R₃₀, R₃₁, R₃₂ and R₃₃ are H;

n is 0 or 1;

R₁ is H;

if n is 1, when R₁ can additionally be D; if n is 0, when R₂ a group of formula (II); if n is 1, R₂ is H or R₂ and R₁₅ form together —O—, preferably R₂ is H;

R₃ is H;

R₄ is a group of formula (II), with the proviso that either R₂ or R₄ is a group of formula (II);

R₆ is O;

R₆ is NR₇R₁₀, NHR₇, OC₁-C₁₄alkyl (e.g. OC₁-C₈alkyl) or N(C₁-C₈alkyl)-O(C₁-C₈alkyl), preferably NHR₇ or OC₁-C₁₄alkyl, most preferably NHR₇; R₇ and R₁₀ are independently C₁-C₁₄alkyl, benzyl, C₃-C₁₄heteroaryl or C₆-C₂₀aryl, whereby the alkyl can be substituted by N—(C₁-C₈alkyl)₂, the heteroaryl can be substituted by CO—O—C₁-C₈alkyl or C₁-C₈alkyl, and the aryl can be substituted by C₁-C₈alkyl, O—C₁-C₈alkyl, fluorinated C₁-C₄alkyl, fluorine, chlorine, CO—C₁-C₈alkyl, —CN, fluorinated C₁-C₄alkyl or fluorinated O—C₁-C₄alkyl; D is a group of formula (III); R₁₇ is C₁-C₈alkyl; or R₁₇ and R₂₀ form together with the N-atom R₁₇ and R₁₈ are attached to

R₁₈ is C₁-C₈alkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₆-C₂₄heteroaryl or C₆-C₂₀aryl, whereby the alkyl can be substituted by O—C₁-C₁₄alkyl, the aryl can be substituted by C₁-C₈alkyl, S—C₁-C₈alkyl, O—C₁-C₁₄alkyl, CO—O—C₁-C₈alkyl, O-phenyl, N-(phenyl)₂ or C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, and the heteroaryl can be substituted by C₁-C₈alkyl, O—C₁-C₈alkyl or C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl;

R₁₅ is H, OR₂₅ or O—CO—R₂₅; R₁₉, R₂₀ and R₂₁ are H;

R₂₅ is C₁-C₁₄alkyl or C₇-C₁₀aralkyl, whereby the alkyl can be substituted by pyridinium*Y⁻, and the pyridinium is substituted by C₁-C₈alkyl; with the proviso that R₂₉ comprises a group G;

G is —R₂₈—COOH;

R₂₈ is C₁-C₃alkylene which is unsubstituted or substituted by CO—OH, preferably R₂₈ is C₁alkylene; or the compound of formula (I) is dimeric, n is 0, and either R₇ is C_(o)arylene or R₂₁ is

A′ is

R₁′ is H;

R₂′ is H or a group of formula (II); R₂₁′ is O—C₁-C₈alkylene-O; and the remainder of the substituents are as defined above. For example, A is a group of formula (V′);

Y⁻ is Cl⁻, Br⁻; I⁻, R₂₉ is G; R₃₀, R₃₁, R₃₂ and R₃₃ are H;

n is 0 or 1;

R₁ is H;

if n is 0, when R₂ a group of formula (II);

if n is 1, R₂ iS H; R₃ is H;

R₄ is a group of formula (II), with the proviso that either R₂ or R₄ is a group of formula (II);

R₆ is O;

R₆ is NR₇R₁₀, NHR₇, OC₁-C₁₄alkyl (e.g. OC₁-C₉alkyl) or N(C₁-C₉alkyl)-O(C₁-C_(s)alkyl); R₇ and R₁₀ are independently C₁-C₁₄alkyl or C₆aryl, whereby the aryl can be substituted by fluorinated C₁-C₄alkyl; D is a group of formula (III); R₁₇ is C₁-C₈alkyl; or R₁₇ and R₂₀ form together with the N-atom R₁₇ and R₁₈ are attached to

R₁₈ is C₁-C₈alkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₆-C₁₄ heteroaryl or C₆-C₂₀aryl, whereby the aryl can be substituted by S—C₁-C₈alkyl, O—C₁-C₈alkyl, O-phenyl or C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, and whereby the heteroaryl is substituted by C₁-C₈alkyl;

R₁₅ is H, OR₂₅ or O—CO—R₂₅; R₁₉, R₂₀ and R₂₁ are H;

R₂₅ is C₁-C₁₄alkyl or C₇-C₁₀aralkyl, whereby the alkyl can be substituted by pyridinium*Y⁻, and the pyridinium is substituted by C₁-C₈alkyl; with the proviso that R₂₉ comprises a group G;

G is —R₂₈—COOH;

R₂₈ is O₁—C₃alkylene, preferably C₁alkylene; or the compound of formula (I) is dimeric, n is 0, and either R₇ is C_(o)arylene or R₂₁ is

A′ is

R₁′ is H;

R₂′ is H or a group of formula (II); R₂₁′ is O—C₁-C₈alkylene-O; and the remainder of the substituents are as defined above.

In compounds of formula (I)

D is a donor moiety, A is an acceptor moiety and

is a spacer moiety. So compounds of formula (I) contain a donor, a spacer and an acceptor.

*indicates a free valence.

Some preferred donors D are:

Some preferred dimeric donors D are

Some preferred spacers are:

Some preferred dimeric spacers are:

In these spacers, the donor D is attached to the left side of the spacers and the acceptor A is attached to the right side of the spacer.

Some preferred acceptors A are:

A preferred dimeric acceptor A is

A preferred spacer-acceptor is

Further preferred spacer-acceptors are dimeric:

A preferred asymmetric dimer of a compound of formula (I) is:

A preferred donor-spacer is

Particularly preferred donors D are:

Particularly preferred spacers are

Particularly preferred acceptors A are:

Some preferred compounds of formula (I) are:

The oxide semiconductor fine particles are, for instance, made of TiO₂, SnO₂, WO₃, ZnO, Nb₂O₅, Fe₂O₃, ZrO₂, MgO, WO₃, ZnO, CdS, ZnS, PbS, Bi₂S₃, CdSe, CdTe or combinations thereof, preferably made of TiO₂.

For instance, the electrode layer comprises a dye of formula (I) or a mixture of dyes of formula (I) as the only dye(s).

Preferred is a porous film made of oxide semiconductor fine particles which is sensitized with a dye of formula (I) and one or more further dyes.

Examples of further dyes are metal complex dyes (preferably the metal is Ru, Pt, Ir, Rh, Re, Os, Fe, W, Cr, Mo, Ni, Co, Mn, Zn or Cu, more preferably Ru, Os or Fe, most preferably Ru) and/or organic dyes selected from the group consisting of indoline, courmarin, cyanine, merocyanine, hemicyanine, methin, azo, quinone, quinonimine, diketo-pyrrolo-pyrrole, quinacridone, squaraine, triphenylmethane, perylene, indigo, xanthene, eosin, rhodamine and combinations thereof. As further dyes organic dyes, in particular methin dye such as dye R-2, are preferred. For instance, the further dye is different from dyes of formula (I).

For instance, the molar ratio of a further dye to a dye of formula (I) is 1:19 to 19:1, preferably 1:9 to 9:1, more preferably 1:5 to 5:1, most preferably 1:3 to 3:1.

For example, the dye is adsorbed together with an additive, preferably a co-adsorbent.

Examples of such additives are co-adsorbents selected from the group consisting of a steroid (preferably deoxycholic acid, dehydrodeoxcholic acid, chenodeoxycholic acid, cholic acid methyl ester, cholic acid sodium salt or combinations thereof), a crown ether, a cyclodextrine, a calixarene, a polyethyleneoxide and combinations thereof, especially a steroid such as chenodeoxycholic acid.

For example, the molar ratio of such an additive to a dye of formula (I) is 1000:1 to 1:100, preferably 100:1 to 1:10, most preferably 10:1 to 1:2.

For example, such an additive is not a dye.

The present invention also pertains to a photoelectric conversion device comprising an electrode layer as defined herein.

Such photoelectric conversion devices usually comprise

(a) a transparent conductive electrode substrate layer, (b) an electrode layer comprising a porous film made of oxide semiconductor fine particles sensitized with (c) a dye of formula (I), (d) a counter electrode layer, and (e) an electrolyte layer (e.g. filled between the working electrode layer b and the counter electrode layer d).

The component (c) can also be a combination of a dye of formula (I) and one or more further dyes.

Preferably, the transparent conductive electrode substrate layer (a) contains (e.g. consists of)

(a-1) a transparent insulating layer and (a-2) a transparent conductive layer.

The transparent conductive layer (a-2) is usually between the transparent insulating layer (a-1) and the electrode layer (b).

Examples of the transparent insulating layer (a-1) include glass substrates of soda glass, fused quartz glass, crystalline quartz glass, synthetic quartz glass; heat resistant resin sheets such as a flexible film; metal sheets, transparent plastic sheets made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polycarbonate (PC), polyether sulfone (PES); a polished plate of a ceramic, such as titanium oxide or alumina.

Examples of transparent conductive layer (a-2) are conductive metal oxides such as ITO (indium-tin compounded oxide), IZO (indium-zinc compounded oxide), FTO (fluorine-doped tin oxide), zinc oxide doped with boron, gallium or aluminum, and niobium-doped titanium oxide. The thickness of the transparent conductive layer (a-2) is usually 0.1 to 5 μm. The surface resistance is usually below 40 ohms/sq, preferably below 20 ohms/sq. To improve the conductivity of the transparent conductive layer (a-2), it is possible to form a metal wiring layer on it, made of for instance silver, platinum, aluminum, nickel or titanium. The area ratio of the metal wiring layer is generally within the range that does not significantly reduce the light transmittance of the transparent conductive electrode substrate layer (a). When such a metal wiring layer is used, the metal wiring layer may be provided as a grid-like, stripe-like, or comb-like pattern.

The electrode layer (b) is usually between the transparent conductive electrode substrate layer (a) and the electrolyte layer (e).

The porous film of oxide semiconductor fine particles of the electrode layer (b) can be prepared by a hydrothermal process, a sol/gel process or high temperature hydrolysis in gas phase. The fine particles usually have an average particle diameter of from 1 nm to 1000 nm. Particles with different size can be blended and can be used as either single or multi-layered porous film. The porous film of the oxide semiconductor layer (b) has usually a thickness of from 0.5 to 50 μm.

If desired, it is possible to form a blocking layer on the electrode layer (b) (usually between the surface of the electrode layer (b) and the dye (c)) and/or between the electrode layer (b) and the transparent conductive electrode substrate layer (a) to improve the performance of the electrode layer (b). An example of forming a blocking layer is immersing the electrode layer (b) into a solution of metal alkoxides such as titanium ethoxide, titanium isopropoxide and titanium butoxide, chlorides such as titanium chloride, tin chloride and zinc chloride, nitrides and sulfides and then drying or sintering the substrate. For instance, the blocking layer is made of a metal oxide (e.g. TiO₂, SiO₂, Al₂O₃, ZrO₂, MgO, SnO₂, ZnO, Eu₂O₃, and Nb₂O₅ or combinations threof) or a polymer (e.g. poly(phenylene oxide-co-2-allylphenylene oxide) or poly(methylsiloxane)). Details of the preparation of such layers are described in, for example, Electrochimica Acta, 1995, 40, 643; J. Phys. Chem. B, 2003, 107, 14394; J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2003, 125, 475; Chem. Lett, 2006, 35, 252; J. Phys. Chem. B, 2006, 110, 19191; J. Phys. Chem. B, 2001, 105, 1422. The blocking layer may be applied to prevent undesired reaction. The blocking is usually dense and compact, and is usually thinner than the electrode layer (b).

Preferably, the counter electrode layer (d) contains (e.g. consists of)

-   -   (d-1) a conductive layer and     -   (d-2) an insulating layer.

The conductive layer (d-1) is usually between the insulating layer (d-2) and the electrolyte layer (e).

For instance, the conductive layer (d-1) contains a conductive carbon (e.g. graphite, single walled carbon nanotubes, multiwalled carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, carbon fibers, grapheme or carbon black), a conductive metal (e.g. gold or platinum), a metal oxide (e.g. ITO (indium-tin compounded oxide), IZO (indium-zinc compounded oxide), FTO (fluorine-doped tinoxide), zinc oxide doped with boron, gallium or aluminum, and niobium-doped titanium oxide) or mixtures thereof.

Furthermore, the conductive layer (d-1) may be one obtained by forming a layer of platinum, carbon or the like (generally with a thickness of from 0.5 to 2,000 nm), on a thin film of a conductive oxide semiconductor, such as ITO, FTO, or the like (generally with a thickness of from 0.1 to 5 μm). The layer of platinum, carbon or the like is usually between the electrolyte layer (e) and the insulating layer (d-2).

Examples of the insulating layer (d-2) includes glass substrates of soda glass, fused quartz glass, crystalline quartz glass, synthetic quartz glass; heat resistant resin sheets such as a flexible film; metal sheets, transparent plastic sheets made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polycarbonate (PC), polyether sulfone (PES); a polished plate of a ceramic, such as titanium oxide or alumina.

The dye (c) is usually disposed on the electrode layer (b) on that surface of the electrode layer (b) facing the electrolyte layer (e).

For adsorption of the dye (c) to the electrode layer (b), the electrode layer (b) may be immersed into a solution or a dispersion liquid of the dye. A concentration of the dye solution or dye dispersion liquid is not limited to, but preferably from 1 μM to 1 M, and is preferably 10 μM to 0.1 M. The time period for the dye adsorption is preferably from 10 seconds to 1000 hours or less, more preferably from 1 minute to 200 hours or less, most preferably from 1 to 10 hours. The temperature for dye adsorption is preferably from room temperature to the boiling temperature of the solvent or the dispersion liquid. The adsorption may be carried out dipping, immersing or immersing with stirring. As the stirring method, a stirrer, supersonic dispersion, a ball mill, a paint conditioner, a sand mill or the like is employed, while the stirring method shall not be limited thereto.

The solvent for dissolving or dispersing the dye (c) includes water, alcohol solvents such as methanol, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, t-butyl alcohol, ethylene glycol and propylene glycol, ether solvents such as dioxane, diethyl ether, dimethoxyethane, tetrahydrofuran, dioxolane, t-butyl methyl ether, ethylene glycol dialkyl ether, propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate and propylene glycol methyl ether, ketone solvents such as acetone, amide solvents such as N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide and N-methylpyrrolidone, nitrile solvents such as acetonitrile, methoxy acetonitrile, methoxy propionitrile, propionitrile and benzonitrile, carbonate solvents such as ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate and diethyl carbonate, heterocyclic compounds such as 3-methyl-2-oxazolidinone, dimethyl sulfoxide, sulfolane and γ-butyrolactone, halogenated hydrocarbon solvents such as dichloromethane, chloroform, dichloroethane, trichloroethane, trichloroethylene, chlorobenzene, o-dichlorobenzene, 1-chloronaphthalene, bromoform, bromobenzene, methyl iodide, iodobenzene and fluorobenzene and hydrocarbon solvents such as benzene, toluene, o-xylene, m-xylene, p-xylene, ethylbenzene, cumene, n-pentane, n-hexane, n-octane, cyclohexane, methylcyclohexane, 1,5-hexadiene and cyclohexadiene. These may be used solely or in the form of a mixture containing two or more solvents. As a solvent, supercritical solvent such as supercritical carbon dioxide may be used.

As dye (c) a dye of formula (I) may be adsorbed on the electrode layer (b) solely or in combination with one or more further dyes. The dyes adsorbed together are not limited to dyes of formula (I). Two or more dyes may be adsorbed on the electrode layer (b) one by one or all together by dissolving the dyes in a solvent. It is preferable to use the dyes with different absorption peaks in different wavelengths to absorb wide range of light wavelengths and generate higher current. The ratio of two or more dyes adsorbed on the electrode layer (b) is not limited but preferably each dye has molar ratio of more than 10%.

For adsorption of the dye (c), an additive may be used in combination. The additive may be any one of an agent that has a function presumably for controlling dye adsorption. The additive includes a condensation agent such as thiol or a hydroxyl compound and a co-adsorbent. These may be used solely or a mixture of them. The molar ratio of the additive to the dye is preferably 0.01 to 1,000, more preferably 0.1 to 100.

For instance, the dye-adsorbed electrode layer may be treated with amines such as 4-tert-butyl pyridine. As a treatment method, immersing the dye-sensitized electrode layer into amine solution which may be diluted with a solvent such as acetnitrile or ethanol can be employed.

In the above manner, the electrode layer of the present invention can be obtained.

When the electrolyte layer (e) is in the form of solution or quasi-solid, the electrolyte layer (e) usually contains,

(e-1) electrolyte compound, (e-2) solvent and/or ionic liquid, and preferably (e-3) other additives

Examples of the electrolyte compound (e-1) include a combination of a metal iodide such as lithium iodide, sodium iodide, potassium iodide, cesium iodide or calcium iodide with iodine, a combination of a quaternary ammonium iodide such as tetraalkylammonium iodide, pyridium iodide or imidazolium iodide with iodine, a combination of a metal bromide such as lithium bromide, sodium bromide, potassium bromide, cesium bromide or calcium bromide with bromine, a combination of a quaternary ammonium bromide such as tetraalykylammonium bromide or pyridinium bromide with bromine, metal complexes such as ferrocyanic acid salt-ferricyanic acid salt or ferrocene-ferricynium ion, sulfur compounds such as sodium polysulfide and alkylthiolalkyldisulfide, a viologen dye, hydroquinone-quinone and a combination of a nitroxide radical such as 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (TEMPO) and oxoammonium salt. It is possible to prepare electrolyte compounds (e-1) by partially converting nitroxide radical into the oxoammonium salt in situ by adding oxidizing agent (e.g. NOBF₄).

The above electrolyte compounds (e-1) may be used solely or in the form of a mixture. As an electrolyte compound (e-1), there may be used a molten salt that is in a molten state at room temperature. When such a molten salt is used, particularly, it is not necessary to use a solvent.

The electrolyte compound (e-1) concentration in the electrolyte solution is preferably 0.05 to 20 M, more preferably 0.1 to 15 M.

For instance, the solvent (e-2) is nitrile solvents such as acetonitrile, methoxy acetonitrile, methoxy propionitrile, propionitrile and benzonitrile, carbonate solvents such as ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate and diethyl carbonate, alcohol solvents such as methanol, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, t-butyl alcohol, ethylene glycol and propylene glycol, ether solvents such as dioxane, diethyl ether, dimethoxyethane, tetrahydrofuran, dioxolane, t-butyl methyl ether, ethylene glycol dialkyl ether, propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate and propylene glycol methyl ether, water, ketone solvents such as acetone, amide solvents such as N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide and N-methylpyrrolidone, heterocyclic compounds such as 3-methyl-2-oxazolidinone, dimethyl sulfoxide, sulfolane and γ-butyrolactone, halogenated hydrocarbon solvents such as dichloromethane, chloroform, dichloroethane, trichloroethane, trichloroethylene, chlorobenzene, o-dichlorobenzene, 1-chloronaphthalene, bromoform, bromobenzene, methyl iodide, iodobenzene and fluorobenzene and hydrocarbon solvents such as benzene, toluene, o-xylene, m-xylene, p-xylene, ethylbenzene, cumene, n-pentane, n-hexane, n-octane, cyclohexane, methylcyclohexane, 1,5-hexadiene and cyclohexadiene or combinations of the above mentioned solvents and the ionic liquid is a quaternary imidazolium salt, a quaternary pyridinium salt, a quarternary ammonium salt or combinations thereof, preferably the anion of the salt is BF₄ ⁻, PF₆ ⁻, F(HF)₂ ⁻, F(HF)₃ ⁻, bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide [(CF₃SO₂)₂N⁻], N(CN)₂ ⁻, C(CN)₃ ⁻, B(CN)₄ ⁻, SCN⁻, SeCN⁻, I⁻, IO₃ ⁻ or combinations thereof.

For example, a photoelectric conversion device comprises a solvent (e.g. without an ionic liquid). For instance, a photoelectric conversion device comprises an ionic liquid (e.g. without a solvent).

Examples of further additives (e-3) are lithium salts (especially 0.05 to 2.0 M, preferably 0.1 to 0.7 M) (e.g. LiClO₄, LiSO₃CF₃ or Li(CF₃SO₂)N); pyridines (especially 0.005 to 2.0M, preferably 0.02 to 0.7 M) (e.g. pyridine, tert-butylpyridine or polyvinylpyridine), gelling agents (especially 0.1 to 50 wt. %, preferably 1.0 to 10wt. % based on the weight of the component e) (e.g. polyvinylidene fluoride, polyvinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene copolymer, polyethylene oxide derivatives, polyacrylonitrile derivatives or amino acid derivatives), nano particles (especially 0.1 to 50 wt. %, preferably 1.0 to 10 wt. % based on the weight of the component e) (e.g. conductive nano particles, in particular single-wall carbon nanotubes, multi-wall carboncarbon nanotubes or combinations thereof, carbon fibers, carbon black, polyaniline-carbon black composite TiO₂, SiO₂ or SnO₂); and combinations thereof.

In the present invention, an inorganic solid compound such as cooper iodide, cooper thiocyanide or the like, an organic hole-transporting material or an electron-transporting material can be used in place of the electrolyte layer (e).

The instant electrode layer, photoelectric conversion devices and DSC can be prepared as outlined in U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,721, U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,365, U.S. Pat. No. 5,350,644 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,525,440 or in analogy thereto.

The present invention also pertains to a dye sensitized solar cell comprising a photoelectric conversion device as described herein.

The present invention also pertains to the use of a compound of formula (I) as defined herein as a dye in a dye sensitized solar cell.

The present invention further pertains to a compound of formula (I) as defined herein,

with the proviso that R₆ is not OR₇, if R₇ is part of R₂ and forms together with R₁₅ an aliphatic 6-membered ring.

Preferred is a compound of formula (I),

with the proviso that R₆ is NR₇R₁₀, if R₇ is part of R₂ and forms together with R₁₅ an aliphatic 6-membered ring.

Particularly preferred is a compound of formula (I),

with the proviso that if R₇ or R₁₀ is part of R₂, it does not form together with R₁₅ or R₁₆ an unsubstituted or substituted aliphatic 6- or 7-membered ring; even more preferred with the proviso that if R₇ or R₁₀ is part of R₂, it does not form together with R₁₅ or R₁₆ a direct bond or methylene thus not forming an aliphatic 6- or 7-membered ring; most preferred with the proviso that if R₇ is part of R₂, it does not form together with R₁₅ a direct bond thus not forming an aliphatic 6-membered ring.

The compounds of formula (I) can be prepared according to methods known in the art.

Compound of formula (I) can be prepared by condensation of the corresponding pyridinium, quinolinium or isoquinolinium salt and ketone as described below:

In case of n=0;

In case of n=1;

For instance, the reaction conditions of the condensation of the quaternary salts with carbonyl compounds are reflux in ethanol in the presence of piperidine or pyrrolidine (see for instance, J. Chem. Soc. 1961, 5074, Dyes & Pigments 2003, 58, 227), or heating in acetic anhydride (see for instance, Indian J. Chem. 1968, 6, 235.), or heating in acetic acid in a presence of ammonium acetate.

Before condensation, the group G may be protected. Then after the condensation reaction, the protection group can be removed. A group G comprising COOH or COO⁻Z⁺ can be protected by, for example, t-butyl group. Then after condensation reactions, the COO-t-butyl group can be converted into COOH or COO⁻Z⁺.

Or compounds of formula (I) can be prepared by condensation of the corresponding pyridine, quinoline or isoquinoline derivatives with carbonyl compounds, followed by quaternization to the corresponding pyridinium, quinolinium or isoquinolinium salt.

For instance, the starting material are partly items of commerce or can be obtained according to methods known in the art.

When a denotation (e.g. D, G, R₅-R₂₈) occurs more than once (e.g. twice) in a compound, this denotation may be different groups or the same group unless otherwise stated.

It is to be understood that alkyl and alkylene interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations comprises at least 2 carbon atoms and in case of combinations comprises at least 3 carbon atoms.

In the definitions the term alkyl comprises within the given limits of carbon atoms, for example methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, sec-butyl, isobutyl, tert-butyl, 2-ethylbutyl, n-pentyl, isopentyl, 1-methylpentyl, 1,3-dimethylbutyl, n-hexyl, 1-methylhexyl, n-heptyl, 2-methylheptyl, 1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl, 1-methylheptyl, 3-methylheptyl, n-octyl, 2-ethylhexyl, 1,1,3-trimethylhexyl, 1,1,3,3-tetramethylpentyl, nonyl, decyl, undecyl, 1-methylundecyl or dodecyl.

Examples of alkenyl are within the given limits of carbon atoms vinyl, allyl, 1-methylethenyl, and the branched and unbranched isomers of butenyl, pentenyl, hexenyl, heptenyl, octenyl, nonenyl, decenyl, undecenyl and dodecenyl. The term alkenyl also comprises residues with more than one double bond that may be conjugated or non-conjugated, for example may comprise one double bond.

Examples of alkynyl are within the given limits of carbon atoms ethynyl, propargyl, 1-methylethynyl, and the branched and unbranched isomers of butynyl, pentynyl, hexynyl, heptynyl, octynyl, nonynyl, decynyl, undecynyl and dodecynyl. The term alkynyl also comprises residues with more than one triple bond and residues with a triple bond and a double bond, all of which may be conjugated or non-conjugated. For instance, alkynyl comprises one triple bond.

Aryl is for example phenyl, biphenyl, naphthalinyl, anthracenyl, phenanthrenyl or pyrenyl, in particular phenyl or pyrenyl, especially phenyl.

Aryl/arylene can be (further) substituted by . . . is to be understood to include the aryl of aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl, aralkylene, aralkenylene and aralkynylene.

Heteroaryl may comprise one or more (e.g. 1-4, in particular 1-3, especially 1-2, such as 1 heteroatom preferably selected from the group consisting of O, S and N, especially S and N, in particular N). Examples of heteroaryl are thiophenyl, phenyl thiophenyl, diphenyl thiophenyl, triphenyl thiophenyl, bithiophenyl, terthiophenyl, tetrathiophenyl, furanyl, bifuranyl, terfuranyl, pyrrolyl, carbazolyl, phenyl carbazolyl, diphenyl carbazolyl, triphenyl carbazolyl, tetraphenyl carbazolyl, indolyl, piperidinyl, 9H-purinyl, pteridinyl, chinolinyl, isochinyl, acridinyl, phenazinyl,

preferred examples are thiophenyl, phenyl thiophenyl, diphenyl thiophenyl, triphenyl thiophenyl, carbazolyl, phenyl carbazolyl, diphenyl carbazolyl, triphenyl carbazolyl, tetraphenyl carbazolyl,

more preferred examples are thiophenyl, triphenyl thiophenyl, carbazolyl, phenyl carbazolyl,

a particularly preferred example is carbazolyl. Heteroaryl as R₁₈ is for instance triphenyl thiophenyl, carbazolyl or phenyl carbazolyl. Heteroaryl as R₇ and/or R₁₀ is for instance thiophenyl, carbazolyl,

Methyl(fluoren-9-ylidene) is for instance

Aralkyl is for instance benzyl or α,α-dimethylbenzyl, especially benzyl. Aralkenyl includes, for instance,

especially

An example of aralkynyl is 2-phenylethynyl.

Some examples of cycloalkyl are

cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, cycloheptyl, cyclooctyl, methylcyclopentyl, dimethylcyclopentyl, methylcyclohexyl and dimethylcyclohexyl, for instance cyclohexyl.

Some examples of cycloalkenyl are cyclopentenyl, cyclohexenyl, methylcyclopentenyl, dimethylcyclopentenyl and methylcyclohexenyl. Cycloalkenyl may comprise more than one double bond that may be conjugated or non-conjugated, for example may comprise one double bond.

Some examples of cycloalkynyl are cyclohexynyl and methylcyclohexenyl.

The term halogen may comprise fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine; for example halogen is fluorine.

In the definitions the term alkylene comprises within the given limits of carbon atoms, for example methylene, ethylene, propylene, isopropylene, n-butylene, sec-butylene, isobutylene, tert-butylene, 2-ethylbutylene, n-pentylene, isopentylene, 1-methylpentylene, 1,3-dimethylbutylene, n-hexylene, 1-methylhexylene, n-heptylene, 2-methylheptylene, 1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutylene, 1-methylheptylene, 3-methylheptylene, n-octylene, 2-ethylhexylene, 1,1,3-trimethylhexylene, 1,1,3,3-tetramethylpentylene, nonylene, decylene, undecylene, 1-methylundecylene or dodecylene.

Examples of alkenylene are within the given limits of carbon atoms vinylene, allylene, 1-methylethenylene, and the branched and unbranched isomers of butenylene, pentenylene, hexenylene, heptenylene, octenylene, nonenylene, decenylene, undecenylene and dodecenylene. The term alkenylene also comprises residues with more than one double bond that may be conjugated or non-conjugated, for example may comprise one double bond.

Examples of alkynylene are within the given limits of carbon atoms ethynylene, propargylene, 1-methylethynylene, and the branched and unbranched isomers of butynylene, pentynylene, hexynylene, heptynylene, octynylene, nonynylene, decynylene, undecynylene and dodecynylene. The term alkynylene also comprises residues with more than one triple bond and residues with a triple bond and a double bond, all of which may be conjugated or non-conjugated. For instance, alkynylene comprises one triple bond.

Arylene is for example phenylene, biphenylene, naphthalinylene, anthracenylene, phenanthrenylene or pyrenylene, in particular phenylene.

Heteroarylene may comprise one or more (e.g. 1-4, in particular 1-3, especially 1-2, such as 1 heteroatom preferably selected from the group consisting of O, S and N, especially S and N, in particular N). Examples of heteroarylene are thiophenylene, bithiophenylene, terthiophenylene, tetrathiophenylene, furanylene, bifuranylene, terfuranylene, pyrrolylene, carbazolylene, indolylene, piperidinylene, 9H-purinylene, pteridinylene, chinolinylene, isochinylene, acridinylene, phenazinylene and

Aralkylene is for instance phenylmethylene, phenylethylene or phenyldimethylmethylene.

Aralkenyl includes, for instance, phenylethenylene.

An example of aralkynylene is phenylethynylene.

Some examples of cycloalkylene are cyclobutylene, cyclopentylene, cyclohexylene, cycloheptylene, cyclooctylene, methylcyclopentylene, dimethylcyclopentylene, methylcyclohexylene and dimethylcyclohexylene, for instance cyclohexylene.

Some examples of cycloalkenylene are cyclopentenylene, cyclohexenylene, methylcyclopentenylene, dimethylcyclopentenylene and methylcyclohexenylene. Cycloalkenylene may comprise more than one double bond that may be conjugated or non-conjugated, for example may comprise one double bond.

Some examples of cycloalkynylene are cyclohexynylene and methylcyclohexynylene.

Examples of heteroaralkylene are thiophenylmethylene, thiophenylethylene, bithiophenylmethylene, bithiophenylethylene, furanylmethylene, furanylethylene, bifuranylmethylene bifuranylethylene, pyrrolylmethylene, pyrrolylethylene, indolylmethylene, indolylethylene, chinolinylmethylene, chinolinylethylene, isochinolinylmethylene and isochinolinylethylene.

Examples of heteroaralkenylene are thiophenylethenylene, bithiophenylethenylene, furanylethenylene, bifuranylethenylene, pyrrolylethenylene, indolylethenylene, chinolinylethenylene and isochinolinylethenylene.

Examples of heteroaralkynylene are thiophenylethynylene, bithiophenylethynylene, furanylethynylene, bifuranylethynylene, pyrrolylethynylene, indolylethynylene, chinolinylethynylene and isochinolinylethynylene.

For instance, fluorinated alkyl is an alkyl substituted by one or more fluorine. Examples of fluorinated alkyl are —CF₃, —CF₂CF₃, —CF₂CF₂CF₃, —CF(CF₃)₂, —(CF₂)₃CF₃, —(CF₂)CF₂H and —C(CF₃)₃, in particular —CF₃. Preferably, fluorinated alkyl is perfluorinated.

The preferences outlined herein apply to all aspects of the invention.

Ratio and % are weight ratio and weight-% unless otherwise stated.

Abbreviations

DSC dye sensitized solar cell

PREPARATION EXAMPLES Example D-1

Preparation of Aldehyde (A):

Aldehyde (A) is prepared via the same method as described in WO20040011555 (C-4).

Preparation of (B);

1 g (2.26 mmol) of aldehyde (A), 0.29 g (1.76 mmol) of ethyl 4-pyridylacetate, 0.27 g (3.5 mmol) of ammonium acetate and 10 mml of acetic acid are stirred at 130 for 15 hours. After cooling down to the room temperature, the reaction mixture is poured into 30 ml of water, and precipitate is filtered. The crude product is purified by column chromatography and 630 mg of purple solid (B) is obtained (yield 60%).

Preparation of (C);

200 mg (0.43 mmol) of pyridine derivative (B) and 100 mg of tert-butyl bromoacetate and 20 ml of ethyl acetate are stirred at 80 for 5 hours. After the reaction mixture is allowed to the room temperature, the precipitate is filtered and dried. Then, 220 mg of purple solid (C) is obtained. The pyridinium salt (C) is used in the next step without further purification.

Preparation of D-1;

220 mg of pyridinium salt (C) and 10 ml of trifluoroacetic acid are agitated at room temperature for 2 hours. After trifluoroacetic acid is removed via evaporation, the crude product is purified by column chromatography and 200 mg of D-1 is obtained.

Example D-3

Preparation of Pyridinium Salt (D)

A mixture of 2.0 g (0.012 mol) of ethyl 4-pyridylacetate, 3.75 g (0.019 mol) of tert-butyl bromoacetate and 20 ml of toluene is heated under reflux for 2 hours. The reaction mixture is allowed to the room temperature, and then the precipitate is collected by filtration. After dried, 4.42 g of pyridinium salt (D) is obtained. This pyridinium salt (D) is used without further purification for the next reaction.

Preparation of (F);

780 mg (2.17 mmol) of pyridinium salt (D), 550 mg (2.19 mmol) of aldehyde (E) and 8 ml of acetic anhydride are stirred at 100 for 2 hours. After removal of acetic anhydride, the crude product is purified via column chromatography and 760 mg of purple solid (F) is obtained (59%)_(.)

Preparation of D-3;

300 mg of pyridinium salt (F), 2 ml of trifluoroacetic acid and 5 ml of dichloromethane are stirred at room temperature fro 2 hours. After removal of solvents by vacuum evaporation, the crude product is purified by column chromatography and 160 mg of red solid (D-3) is obtained (59%).

Examples D-2 and D-4 to D-61

Dyes D-2 and D-4-D-61 are prepared in analogy to the above-mentioned procedures.

Absorption spectrum Chemical Structure λ_(max) No. Donor Spacer Acceptor (nm) ε D-1

497.0 14500 D-2

506.0 34300 D-3

481.0 13300 D-4

485.0 17900 D-5

468.5 31400 D-6

487.5 17300 D-7

476.5 27100 D-8

482.0 15500 D-9

498.5 36200 D-10

476.0 25700 D-11

472.0 22800 D-12

509.0 13000 D-13

479.0 5090 D-14

503.5 14700 D-15

463.5 12300 D-16

500.0 39200 D-17

498.5 33700 D-18

497.5 47800 D-19

504.0 36200 D-20

525.5 34600 D-21

522.5 8990 D-22

486.5 10100 D-23

492.5 35100 D-24

483.5 31700 D-25

502.0 15000 D-26

477.5 9250 D-27

518.0 18700 D-28

513.0 18300 D-29

475.5 29500 D-30

505.0 48300 D-31

459.0 13200 D-32

496.5 12600 D-33

511.0 46200 D-34

473.0 12800 D-35

563.0 9690 D-36

517.5 3770 D-37

417.5 13600 D-38

408.5 9400 D-39

423.0 9070 D-40

486.0 17400 D-41

458.0 5810 D-42

450.0 2010 D-43

495.0 14000 D-44

472.0 15100 D-45

447.5 12400 D-46

389.0 3450 D-47

370.0 28500 D-48

532.5 13000 D-49

503.0 14600 D-50

503.5 8220 D-51

473.0 6050 D-52

480.0 13500 D-53

469.0 8230 D-54

502.0 18200 D-55

473.0 6050 D-56

504.0 18200 D-57

458.0 5810 D-58

505.5 36700 D-59

513.0 25900 D-60

522.5 59200 D-61

501.0 22700

In compounds D-1 to D-59, the donor D is attached to the left side of the spacer and the acceptor A is attached to the right side of the spacer.

Dyes D-62-D-111 are prepared in analogy to the above-mentioned procedure of D-1 or D-3.

Absorption spectrum Chemical Structure λ_(max) No. Donor Spacer Acceptor (nm) ε D-62

452.0 17800 D-63

512.5 27700 D-64

513.0 20100 D-65

485.4 33900 D-66

498.0 29900 D-67

488.0 19600 D-68

480.0 20900 D-69

506.0 7730 D-70

529.0 32400 D-71

508.0 35600 D-72

508.5 24300 D-73

506.0 34600 D-74

513.0 31000 D-75

490.0 25700 D-76

473.0 11600 D-77

469.0 15100 D-78

527.5 25700 D-79

510.0 27900 D-80

510.5 29300 D-81

507.0 31300 D-82

446.5 3970 D-83

508.5 33000 D-84

509.0 17300 D-85

479.0 22500 D-86

494.5 19500 D-87

521.0 26600 D-88

506.0 45600 D-89

514.0 25500 D-90

503.5 24400 D-91

508.5 33000 D-92

511.5 22700 D-93

506.5 28800 D-94

480.0 9730 D-95

473.5 35300 D-96

505.0 34100 D-97

500.5 38800 D-98

509.0 11700 D-99

508.0 33100 D-100

520.0 26600 D-101

512.0 31000 D-102

504.0 39100 D-103

527.0 21100 D-104

501.0 11200 D-105

509.0 25400 D-106

511.0 24200 D-107

512.0 20900 D-108

499.0 16100 D-109

499.0 30500 D-110

510 28800 D-111

508.0 36610

In compounds D-62 to D-111, the donor D is attached to the left side of the spacer and the acceptor A is attached to the right side of the spacer.

Application Examples Example A-1 Preparation of DSC Device

Titanium oxide paste (PST-18NR, supplied by Catalysts&Chemicals Ind. Co., Ltd.) is applied onto an FTO (tin oxide doped with fluorine) glass substrate (<12 ohms/sq, A11DU80, supplied by AGC Fabritech Co., Ltd.) by screen printing method to form a coating having an area size of 0.64 cm². After being dried for 5 minutes at 120° C., a working electrode layer having a thickness of 5 μm is obtained by applying heat treatment in air at 450° C. for 30 minutes and 500° C. for 30 minutes.

0.02 g of a dye (D-1) is dissolved in 25 ml of a mixture solution of acetonitrile+t-butyl alcohol (1:1). The above-prepared transparent working electrode is immersed in the solution at room temperature for 2 hours so as to adsorb the dye.

As a counter electrode, an ITO (indium-tin oxide) glass electrode substrate is prepared having a thickness of 8 nm electrode layer made of platinum formed thereon by sputtering.

A solution of 0.05 M of iodine, 0.1 M of lithium iodide and 0.6 M of 1-propyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium iodide in methoxypropionitrile is used as an electrolytic solution.

A photoelectric conversion device is fabricated by making the above working electrode and counter electrode opposed to each other and holding the above electrolyte solution between them with a spacer having 50 μm thickness.

The above photoelectric conversion device is evaluated under the illumination of an artificial sunlight (AM 1.5, 100 mW/cm² intensity) generated by a solar simulator (Peccell Technologies, Inc) from the working electrode side.

Examples A-2 to A-21 and A-23 to A-39

DSC device is prepared and evaluated in the same manner as described in the example A-1 except that the compound (D-1) is replaced with a compound (D-2)-(D-34) or (D-58)-(D-61).

Comparative Example A-22

DSC device is prepared and evaluated in the same manner as described in the example A-1 except that the compound (D-1) is replaced with a compound (R-1) shown below. Table 1 shows the results.

TABLE 1 Photo-electric Short-circuit power current Open- Fill conversion density circuit factor efficiency Example Compound (mA/cm²) voltage (V) (%) (%) A-1 D-1 12.6 0.55 0.45 3.14 A-2 D-2 14.6 0.59 0.44 3.78 A-3 D-3 10.7 0.60 0.59 3.82 A-4 D-4 10.2 0.63 0.52 3.34 A-5 D-5 10.6 0.58 0.51 3.10 A-6 D-6 8.8 0.63 0.55 3.11 A-7 D-7 11.8 0.52 0.49 3.02 A-8 D-8 9.0 0.64 0.56 3.24 A-9 D-9 8.8 0.67 0.58 3.40 A-10 D-10 8.8 0.62 0.58 3.17 A-11 D-11 8.7 0.58 0.59 2.96 A-12 D-12 10.4 0.61 0.57 3.56 A-13 D-13 8.8 0.60 0.61 3.19 A-14 D-14 11.5 0.63 0.57 4.14 A-15 D-15 9.0 0.62 0.61 3.42 A-16 D-16 10.3 0.61 0.58 3.65 A-17 D-17 10.5 0.67 0.60 4.16 A-18 D-18 8.5 0.64 0.61 3.27 A-19 D-19 11.3 0.61 0.49 3.36 A-20 D-20 11.7 0.61 0.54 3.80 A-21 D-21 13.5 0.63 0.55 4.72 A-22^(*) R-1 9.8 0.50 0.52 2.54 A-23 D-22 11.5 0.55 0.51 3.20 A-24 D-23 12.0 0.66 0.52 4.12 A-25 D-24 8.9 0.65 0.61 3.52 A-26 D-25 8.7 0.64 0.62 3.45 A-27 D-26 9.4 0.62 0.61 3.60 A-28 D-27 12.8 0.62 0.56 4.46 A-29 D-28 10.5 0.59 0.58 3.61 A-30 D-29 8.5 0.65 0.62 3.40 A-31 D-30 12.3 0.64 0.52 4.03 A-32 D-31 9.6 0.54 0.53 2.72 A-33 D-32 8.5 0.54 0.59 2.71 A-34 D-33 12.1 0.67 0.53 4.28 A-35 D-34 10.4 0.62 0.60 3.84 A-36 D-58 12.6 0.65 0.56 4.60 A-37 D-59 10.4 0.62 0.53 3.42 A-38 D-60 12.1 0.50 0.52 3.15 A-39 D-61 8.4 0.62 0.63 3.29 ^(*)comparison

As demonstrated in the examples, the dye of the present invention provide DSC device with excellent photovoltaic performance.

Example B-1-B-8 (example of applying co-adsorbent)

DSC device is prepared and evaluated in the same manner as described in the example A-1 except that the compound (D-1) is replaced with a compound (D-2, D-33 or D-27) and steroid compound (E-1) shown below is added to the dye solution.

Table 2 shows the results.

TABLE 2 Short-circuit Open- Photo-electric Steroid current circuit Fill power Steroid compound density voltage factor conversion Example Compound compound (mM) (mA/cm²) (V) (%) efficiency (%) B-1 D-2  E-1 0 14.6 0.59 0.44 3.78 B-2 D-2  E-1 2 15.3 0.59 0.45 4.03 B-3 D-2  E-1 8 14.8 0.60 0.49 4.32 B-4 D-33 E-1 0 12.1 0.67 0.53 4.28 B-5 D-33 E-1 8 12.6 0.68 0.54 4.61 B-6 D-27 E-1 0 12.9 0.63 0.55 4.46 B-7 D-27 E-1 2 12.9 0.66 0.57 4.86 B-8 D-27 E-1 8 12.6 0.68 0.59 5.03

As demonstrated in the examples, combinations of the dye according to the present invention with the steroid compound provide DSC device with excellent photovoltaic performance.

Example B-9-B-10 Example of Changing Dye Adsorption Time

DSC device is prepared and evaluated in the same manner as described in the example B-3 and B-5 except that transparent working electrode is immersed in the solution at room temperature for 3 hours. Table 3 shows the results.

TABLE 3 Short-circuit Open- Photo-electric current circuit Fill power density voltage factor conversion Example Compound (mA/cm²) (V) (%) efficiency (%) B-9  D-2  13.7 0.66 0.55 5.01 B-10 D-33 12.8 0.68 0.57 4.95

Example C-1-C-3 Example of Co-Adsorbing Dyes

DSC device is prepared and evaluated in the same manner as described in the example A-1 except that the compound (D-1) is replaced with a mixture of compounds (R-2 and D-6) shown below.

Table 3 shows the results.

TABLE 4 Compound Compound Short-circuit Fill Photo-electric R-2 D-6 current density Open-circuit factor power conversion Example (mM) (mM) (mA/cm²⁾ voltage (V) (%) efficiency (%) C-1^(*) 1.8 0.0 7.1 0.527 0.54 2.04 C-2 0.0 1.8 11.8 0.520 0.49 3.02 C-3 0.9 0.9 12.5 0.534 0.50 3.35 ^(*)comparison

As demonstrated in the examples, combinations of a dye according to the present invention and a further dye provide DSC device with excellent photovoltaic performance.

Examples A-40 to A-89

DSC device is prepared and evaluated in the same manner as described in the example A-1 except that the compound (D-1) is replaced with a compound (D-62)-(D-111).

TABLE 6 Short-circuit Open- Photo-electric current circuit Fill power density voltage factor conversion Example Compound (mA/cm²) (V) (%) efficiency( %) A-40 D-62  9.29 0.64 0.61 3.68 A-41 D-63  13.1 0.64 0.54 4.48 A-42 D-64  12.6 0.63 0.54 4.26 A-43 D-65  7.8 0.61 0.64 3.05 A-44 D-66  11.7 0.65 0.60 4.57 A-45 D-67  12.1 0.64 0.57 4.41 A-46 D-68  9.7 0.62 0.58 3.51 A-47 D-69  9.4 0.66 0.61 3.81 A-48 D-70  6.8 0.61 0.66 2.73 A-49 D-71  13.5 0.66 0.52 4.64 A-50 D-72  12.6 0.63 0.58 4.62 A-51 D-73  9.1 0.65 0.59 3.46 A-52 D-74  11.7 0.66 0.60 4.64 A-53 D-75  7.6 0.59 0.63 2.83 A-54 D-76  9.2 0.67 0.62 3.81 A-55 D-77  9.6 0.65 0.59 3.67 A-56 D-78  11.3 0.62 0.60 4.12 A-57 D-79  11.4 0.62 0.58 4.05 A-58 D-80  10.3 0.64 0.60 3.94 A-59 D-81  12.9 0.67 0.55 4.72 A-60 D-82  7.2 0.63 0.63 2.83 A-61 D-83  11.5 0.69 0.56 4.47 A-62 D-84  9.3 0.62 0.61 3.49 A-63 D-85  9.2 0.66 0.58 3.54 A-64 D-86  8.1 0.65 0.60 3.12 A-65 D-87  11.7 0.58 0.51 3.43 A-66 D-88  11.0 0.53 0.49 2.80 A-67 D-89  12.7 0.67 0.52 4.47 A-68 D-90  9.6 0.62 0.57 3.39 A-69 D-91  11.5 0.69 0.56 4.47 A-70 D-92  12.3 0.60 0.53 3.93 A-71 D-93  10.5 0.63 0.47 3.14 A-72 D-94  10.0 0.53 0.50 2.68 A-73 D-95  10.0 0.65 0.55 3.54 A-74 D-96  11.5 0.66 0.53 3.99 A-75 D-97  10.2 0.63 0.47 3.04 A-76 D-98  9.4 0.59 0.58 3.21 A-77 D-99  13.0 0.68 0.57 4.96 A-78 D-100 12.0 0.64 0.51 3.88 A-79 D-101 10.7 0.58 0.53 3.26 A-80 D-102 13.3 0.66 0.47 4.08 A-81 D-103 13.2 0.57 0.46 3.50 A-82 D-104 8.4 0.66 0.64 3.54 A-83 D-105 10.3 0.66 0.55 3.72 A-84 D-106 10.2 0.62 0.56 3.54 A-85 D-107 10.0 0.61 0.57 3.49 A-86 D-108 9.0 0.68 0.61 3.74 A-87 D-109 10.5 0.69 0.57 4.16 A-88 D-110 12.5 0.60 0.54 4.03 A-89 D-111 10.0 0.64 0.55 3.51

As demonstrated in the examples, the dye of the present invention provide DSC device with excellent photovoltaic performance. 

1. An electrode layer comprising a porous film made of oxide semiconductor fine particles sensitized with a dye of formula (I),

wherein A is pyridinium*Y⁻, quinolinium*Y⁻ or isoquinoliniumn*Y¹ each of which is unsubstituted or substituted; Y⁻ is an inorganic or organic anion, preferably Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻, SCN⁻, BF₄ ⁻, PF₆ ⁻, ClO₄ ⁻, SbF₆ ⁻, AsF₆ ⁻ or an organic anion selected from the group consisting of carboxylate, sulphonate, sulphate, phosphate, phosphonate; n is 0 or 1, preferably 0; R₁, R₂, R₃ and R₄ are independently H, —S(═O)₂OR₇, —S(═O)₂R₇, —S(═O)R₇, —S(═O)OR₇, fluorinated C₁-C₈alkyl, a group of formula (II)

or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₆-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof; or R₁ and R₂, R₁ and R₁₅, R₁ and R₁₆, R₂ and R₁₅, R₂ and R₁₆ or R₃ and R₄ form together an unsubstituted or substituted aliphatic 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; or R₂ and R₁₅ form together an unsubstituted or substituted heteroaromatic 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; or a substituent of A ortho to the

group and either if n is 0, R₂ or if n is 1, R₄ form together an unsubstituted or substituted aliphatic 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; or R₁ is D; or if D is a group of formula (IV), R₁ and R₁₈ can form together an unsubstituted or substituted 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; with the proviso that at least one of R₁-R₄ is fluorinated C₁-C₈alkyl or that R₂ or R₄ or both are —S(═O)₂OR₇, —S(═O)₂R₇, —S(═O)R₇, —S(═O)OR₇ or a group of formula (II)

R₅ is NR₈, N—OR₈, N—NR₈R₉, O or S; R₆ is CO—SR₇, CO—NR₇—NR₁₀R₁₁, CO—NR₇—OR₁₀, CO—O—CO—R₇, CO—NR₇—CO—R₁₀, CO—NR₇—CO—OR₁₀, CO—NR₇—CO—NR₁₀R₁₁, NR₇R₁₀, OR₇, SR₇, NR₇—NR₁₀R₁₁, NR₇—OR₁₀, O—CO—R₇, O—CO—OR₇, O—CO—NR₇R₁₀, NR₇—CO—R₁₀, NR₇—CO—R₁₀, NR₇—CO—NR₁₀R₁₁, CO—R₇, CO—OR₇, CO—NR₇R₁₀, NR₁₂—C(═NR₁₃)R₇ or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₈-C₂₀aryl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof; R₈ and R₉ are independently H or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof; R₇, R₁₀ and R₁₁ are independently H or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₈-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof; or R₇ or R₁₀ together with that group of R₁-R₄ which is attached to the same double bond as the group of R₁-R₄ comprising said R₇ or R₁₀ forms an unsubstituted or substituted aliphatic 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; or if R₇ or R₁₀ is part of R₂, it can form together with R₁₅ or R₁₆ an unsubstituted or substituted aliphatic 6- or 7-membered ring; or if R₇ or R₁₀ is part of R₂ with n being 0 or is part of R₄with n being 1, it can form together with a substituent of A ortho to the

group an unsubstituted or substituted aliphatic 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; R₁₂ and R₁₃ form together an unsubstituted or substituted 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; R₁₄ is independently H or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₆aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl; D is independently a group of formula (III) or (IV)

R₁₇ and R₁₈ are independently unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₄heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof; or R₁₇ and R₁₈, R₁₇ and R₂₂, R₁₇ and R₂₀ and/or R₁₈ and R₁₉ form together an unsubstituted or substituted 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; R₁₅, R₁₆, R₁₉, R₂₀, R₂₁, R₂₂, R₂₃ and R₂₄ are independently H, NR₂₅R₂₆, OR₂₅, SR₂₅, NR₂₅—NR₂₆R₂₇, NR₂₅—OR₂₆, O—CO—R₂₅, O—CO—OR₂₅, O—CO—NR₂₅R₂₆, NR₂₅ ⁻CO—R₂₆, NR₂₅—CO—R₂₆, NR₂₅—CO—NR₂₆R₂₇, CO—R₂₅, CO—OR₂₅, CO—NR₂₅R₂₆, S—CO—R₂₅, CO—SR₂₅, CO—NR₂₅—NR₂₆R₂₇, CO—NR₂₅—OR₂₆, CO—O—CO—R₂₅, CO—O—CO—OR₂₅, CO—O—CO—NR₂₅R₂₈, CO—NR₂₅—CO—R₂₆, CO—NR₂₅—CO—OR₂₆, or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₆aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof; R₂₅, R₂₆ and R₂₇ are independently H or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₈-C₂₀aryl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof; with the proviso that A or at least one of R₁-R₄ or A and at least one of R₁-R₄ comprises a group G, wherein G is —R₂₈—COOH, —R₂₈—COO⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—S(═O)₂OH, —R₂₈—S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—O—S(═O)₂OH, —R₂₈—O—S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—P(═O)(OH)₂, —R₂₈—P(═O)(O⁻Z⁺)₂, —R₂₈—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻Z⁺), —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(OH)₂, —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(O⁻Z⁺)₂, —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻Z⁺); R₂₈ is a direct bond or unsubstituted or substituted C₁-C₂₀alkylene, C₂-C₂₀alkenylene, C₂-C₂₀alkynyiene, C₆-C₂₀arylene, C₄-C₉heteroarylene, C₇-C₁₁aralkylene, C₈-C₁₁aralkenylene, C₈-C₁ aralkynylene, C₆-C₁₁heteroaralkylene, C₇-C₁₁heteroaralkenylene, C₇-C₁₁heteroaralkynylene or C₅-C₆cycloalkylene; and Z⁺ is N(R₁₄)₄ ⁺, Li⁺, Na⁺ or K⁺ or is an ammonium cation which is part of a compound of formula (I) as part of group A.
 2. An electrode layer according to claim 1, wherein A is a group of formula (V)-(IX),

Y⁻ is Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻, SCN⁻, BF₄, PF₆ ⁻, ClO₄ ⁻, SbF₆ AsF₆ ⁻ or an organic anion selected from the group consisting of C₁-C₂₀alkyl-COO⁻, C₆-C₂₀aryl-COO⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-S(═O)₂O⁻, C₆-C₂₀aryl-S(═O)₂O⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-O—S(═O)₂O⁻, C₆-C₂₀aryl-O—S(═O)₂O⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-P(═O)₂O⁻, C₆-C₂₀aryl-P(═O)₂O⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-O—P(═O)₂O⁻ and C₆-C₂₀aryl-O—P(═O)₂O⁻, whereby the aryl is unsubstituted or substituted by 1 to 4 C₁-C₂₀alkyl, or Y⁻ is an anionic group which is part of a compound of formula (I) and is selected from the group consisting of COO⁻, S(═O)₂O⁻, O—S(═O)₂O⁻, P(═O)(O)(O⁻Z⁺), F(═O)(OH)(O), O—P(═O)(O)(O⁻Z⁺), O—P(═O)(OH)(O); R₂₉ is G, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₁-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₅-C₂₆cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkynyl are unsubstituted or substituted by fluorine, pyridinium*Y, quinolinium*Y or isoquinolinium*Y⁻, whereby the pyridinium, quinolinium and isoquinolinium are unsubstituted or substituted by G, C₁-C₂₀alkyl or combinations thereof; R₃₀, R₃₁, R₃₂, R₃₃, R₃₄ and R₃₅ are independently G, H, halogen, pyridinium*Y⁻, quinolinium*Y⁻, isoquinolinium*Y⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the whereby the pyridinium, quinolinium, isoquinolinium, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkynyl are unsubstituted or substituted by halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, RN₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof, and the aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by 1-4 C₁-C₂₀alkyl, and whereby the pyridinium, quinolinium and isoquinolinium can be further substituted by G, C₁-C₂₀alkyl or combinations thereof; or two vicinal groups of R₂₉-R₃₅ form together trimethylene, tetramethylene or pentamethylene, each of which is unsubstituted or substituted by G, benzo, R₁₄ or combinations thereof n is 0 or 1; R₁, R₂, R₃ and R₄ are independently H, —S(═O)₂OR₇, —S(═O)₂R₇, —S(═O)R₇, —S(═O)OR₇, fluorinated C₁-C₈alkyl, a group of formula (II), C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₈-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₈-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof, and whereby the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkynyl are unsubstituted or substituted by G, halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof, and the aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, fluorinated C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₈-C₂₀cycloalkenyl, C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl or combinations thereof; or R₁ is D; or R₁ and R₁₅ or R₁ and R₁₆ form together ethylene, trimethylene, tetramethylene, methylene-O, O-methylene, ethylene-O, O-ethylene, trimethylene-O, O-trimethylene, methylene-NR₁₄, NR₁₄-methylene, ethylene-NR₁₄, NR₁₄-ethylene, trimethylene-NR₁₄ or NR₁₄-trimethylene thus forming an aliphatic 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; or R₂ and R₁₅ form together —O—, —S— or —NR₁₄—; or if D is a group of formula (IV), R₁ and R₁₈ can form together with the N-atom R₁₇ and R₁₈ are attached to

whereby in each of said groups one or more H-atom can be replaced by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₁-C₂₀alkylidene, phenyl or combinations thereof, in each of said groups two geminal H-atom can be replaced by C₁-C₂₀alkylidene, and/or in each of said groups two vicinal H-atoms can be replaced by benzo, trimethylene or tetramethylene; with the proviso that at least one of R₁-R₄ is fluorinated C₁-C₉alkyl or that R₂ or R₄ or both are —S(═O)₂OR₇, —S(═O)₂R₇, —S(═O)R₇, —S(═O)OR₇ or a group of formula (II); R₅ is NR₈, N—OR₈, N—NR₈R₉, O or S; R₆ is NR₇R₁₀, OR₇, SR₇, NR₇—NR₁₀R₁₁, NR₇—OR₁₀, O—CO—R₇, O—CO—OR₇, O—CO—NR₇R₁₀, NR₇—CO—R₁₀, NR₇—CO—OR₁₀, NR₇—CO—NR₁₀R₁₁, CO—R₇, CO—OR₇, CO—NR₇R₁₀, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₈-C₂₀aryl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₈-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₈-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof, and whereby the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkynyl are unsubstituted or substituted by G, halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof, and the aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, fluorinated C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl, C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl or combinations thereof; R₈ and R₉ are independently H, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₆alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyi, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof, and whereby the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkynyl are unsubstituted or substituted by G, halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄ ¹, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof, and the aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, fluorinated C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl, C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl or combinations thereof; R₇, R₁₀ and R₁₁ are independently H, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof, and whereby the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkynyl are unsubstituted or substituted by G, halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof, and the aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, fluorinated C₁-C₂₀alkyl, fluorinated O—C₁-C₂₀alkyl, —CN, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl, C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl or combinations thereof; or R₇ or R₁₀ being part of R₂ forms together with R₁ a direct bond, methylene or ethylene thus forming an aliphatic 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; or R₇ or R₁₀ being part of R₄ forms together with R₃ a direct bond, methylene or ethylene thus forming an aliphatic 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; or if R₇ or R₁₀ is part of R₂, it can form together with R₁₅ or R₁₆ a direct bond or methylene thus forming an aliphatic 6- or 7-membered ring; or if R₇ or R₁₀ is part of R₂ with n being 0 or is part of R₄ with n being 1, it can form together with a substituent of A ortho to the

group a direct bond, methylene or ethylene thus forming an aliphatic 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring; R₁₄, R₁₄′ are independently H, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₆-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl; D is independently a group of formula (III) or (IV) R₁₇ and R₁₈ are independently fluorenyl, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₄heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the fluorenyl, alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof, and whereby the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkynyl are unsubstituted or substituted by tetrahydrofuranyl, halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof, and the fluorenyl, aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by maleic anhydridyl, maleimidyl indenyl, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl, C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl or combinations thereof, whereby the maleic anhydridyl and maleimidyl are unsubstituted or substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, phenyl-NR₁₄R₁₄′ or combinations thereof; or R₁₇ and R₁₈ form together with the N they are attached to piperidinyl, piperazinyl, morpholinyl, imidazolidinyl or pyrrollidinyl, each of which is unsubstituted or substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₁-C₂₀alkylidene, benzo, trimethylene, tetramethylene or combinations thereof, which are unsubstituted or substituted by halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄ ¹, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof; or R₁₇ and R₂₂, R₁₇ and R₂₀ and/or R₁₆ and R₁₉ form together with the N-atom R₁₇ and R₁₆ are attached

whereby in each of said groups one or more H-atom can be replaced by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₁-C₂₀alkylidene, phenyl or combinations thereof, in each of said groups two geminal H-atom can be replaced by C₁-C₂₀alkylidene, and/or in each of said groups two vicinal H-atoms can be replaced by benzo, trimethylene or tetramethylene, whereby the benzo is unsubstituted or substituted by methyl(fluoren-9-ylidene); R₁₅, R₁₆, R₁₉, R₂₀, R₂₁, R₂₂, R₂₃ and R₂₄ are independently H, NR₂₅R₂₆, OR₂₅, SR₂₅, NR₂₅—NR₂₆R₂₇, NR₂₅—OR₂₆, O—CO—R₂₅, O—CO—OR₂₅, O—CO—NR₂₅R₂₆, NR₂₅—CO—R₂₆, NR₂₅—CO—R₂₆, NR₂₅—CO—NR₂₆R₂₇, CO—R₂₅, CO—OR₂₅, CO—NR₂₅R₂₆, CO—SR₂₅, CO—NR₂₅—NR₂₆R₂₇, CO—NR₂₅—OR₂₆, CO—O—CO—R₂₅, CO—O—CO—OR₂₅, CO—O—CO—NR₂₅R₂₆, CO—NR₂₅—CO—R₂₆, CO—NR₂₅—CO—R₂₆, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof, and whereby the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkynyl are unsubstituted or substituted by halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof, and the aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl, C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl or combinations thereof; R₂₅, R₂₆ and R₂₇ are independently H, C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₀heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, whereby the alkyl and cycloalkyl are uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof, and whereby the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl and cycloalkynyl are unsubstituted or substituted by pyridinium*Y⁻, maleic anhydridyl, maleimidyl, halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄ ¹, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof, and the aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl, C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl or combinations thereof, whereby the pyridinium, maleic anhydridyl, maleimidyl are unsusbstituted or substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₂-C₂₀alkenyl, C₂-C₂₀alkynyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₆-C₂₀aryl-O—R₁₄, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkynyl, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkyl, C₅-C₂₀cycloalkenyl, C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynyl, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′ or combinations thereof; with the proviso that at least one of R₂₉-R₃₆ or at least one of R₁-R₄ or at least one of R₂₉-R₃₅ and at least one of R₁-R₄ comprises a group G; wherein G is —R₂₈—COOH, —R₂₈—COO⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—S(═O)₂OH, —R₂₈—S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—O—S(═O)₂OH, —R₂₈—O—S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—P(═O)(OH)₂, —R₂₈—P(═O)(O⁻Z⁺)₂, —R₂₈—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻Z⁺), —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(OH)₂, —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(O⁻Z⁺)₂, —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻Z⁺), R₂₈ is a direct bond or C₁-C₂₀alkylene, C₂-C₂₀alkenylene, C₂-C₂₀alkynylene, C₆-C₂₀arylene, C₄-C₉heteroarylene, C₇-C₁₁aralkylene, C₈-C₁₁aralkenylene, C₈-C₁₁aralkynylene, C₆-C₁₁heteroaralkylene, C₇-C₁₁heteroaralkenylene, C₇-C₁₁heteroaralkynylene or C₅-C₆cycloalkylene, whereby each of said groups is unsubstituted or substituted by halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄% CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, S(═O)₂OR₁₄, S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺ or combinations thereof, and the arylene and heteroarylene can be further substituted by 1-4 C₁-C₂₀alkyl; Z⁺ is N(R₁₄)₄ ⁺, Li⁺, Na⁺ or K⁺ or is the cationic group

which is part of a compound of formula (I) as part of group A; or the compound of formula (I) is dimeric and one of R₆, R₇, R₁₀, R₂₉-R₃₆ is R₃₆, or R₁ is

or R₂ is

or R₃ is

or R₄ is

or R₁₈ is

or R₂₀ is

or R₂₁ is

or one of R₃₀-R₃₅ is

A′ is as defined for A; D′ is as defined for D; R₁′ is as defined for R₁; R₂′ is as defined for R₂; R₃′ is as defined for R₃; R₄′ is as defined for R₄; R₁″, R₂″, R₃″, R₄″ are R₃₆; R₁₈′ is R₃₇; R₂₀′ and R₂₁′ are R₃₇, O—R₃₇—O, S—R₃₇—S, NR₁₄—R₃₇—NR₁₄′, CO—R₃₇—CO, CO—O—R₃₇—O—CO, CO—NR₁₄—R₃₇—NR₁₄′—CO, CO—S—R₃₇—S—CO, O—CO—R₃₇—S—CO—O, NR₁₄—CO—R₃₇—CO—NR₁₄′ or S—CO—R₃₇—CO—S; R₃₆ is as defined for R₃₇, whereby the alkylene, alkenylene, alkynylene, arylene, heteroarylene, aralkylene, aralkenylene, aralkynylene, cycloalkylene, alkylene-arylene-alkylene, cycloalkenylene and cycloalkynylene can be further substituted by G; R₃₇ is C₁-C₂₀alkyrene, C₂-C₂₀alkenylene, C₂-C₂₀alkynylene, C₆-C₂₀arylene, C₄-C₂₀heteroarylene, C₇-C₂₀aralkylene, C₈-C₂₀aralkenylene, C₈-C₂₀aralkynylene, C₄-C₂₀cycloalkylene, C₁-C₈alkylene-C₆-C₂₀arylene-C₁-C₈alkylene (e.g.

C₆-C₂₀cycloalkenyiene or C₆-C₂₀cycloalkynylene, whereby the alkylene and cycloalkylene is uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof, and whereby the alkylene, alkenylene, alkynylene, arylene, heteroarylene, aralkylene, aralkenylene, aralkynylene, cycloalkylene, alkylene-arylene-alkylene, cycloalkenylene and cycloalkynylene are unsubstituted or substituted by fluorine, and whereby the arylene, heteroarylene and aryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, fluorinated C₁-C₂₀alkyl or combinations thereof, and the remainder of the substituents are as defined above.
 3. An electrode layer according to claim 2, wherein A is a group of formula (V′)-(VII′);

Y⁻ is Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻, BF₄ ⁻, PF₆ ⁻, SbF₆ ⁻, AsF₆ ⁻ or an organic anion selected from the group consisting of, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-S(═O)₂O⁻, C₆-C₂₀aryl-S(═O)₂O⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-O—S(═O)₂O⁻, C₆-C₂₀aryl-O—S(═O)₂O⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-P(═O)₂O⁻, C₆-C₂₀aryl-P(═O)₂O⁻, C₁-C₂₀alkyl-O—P(═O)₂O⁻ and C₆-C₂₀aryl-O—P(═O)₂O⁻, whereby the aryl is unsubstituted or substituted by 1 to 4 C₁-C₂₄alkyl, or Y⁻ is an anionic group which is part of a compound of formula (I) and is selected from the group consisting of COO⁻, S(═O)₂O⁻, O—S(═O)₂O⁻, P(═O)(O⁻)(O⁻Z⁺), P(═O)(OH)(O), O—P(═O)(O′)(O⁻Z⁺) and O—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻); R₂₉ is G or C₁-C₈alkyl, whereby the alkyl is unsubstituted or substituted by pyridinium*Y⁻ or quinolinium*Y, whereby the pyridinium and quinolinium are substituted by G; R₃₀, R₃₁, R₃₂, R₃₃, R₃₄ and R₃₅ are independently H, pyridinium*Y⁻ or quinolinium*Y⁻, whereby the pyridinium and quinolinium are substituted by G; n is 0 or 1; R₁, R₂, R₃ and R₄ are independently H, —S(═O)₂OR₇, —S(═O)₂R₇, —S(═O)R₇, —S(═O)OR₇, fluorinated C₁-C₄alkyl, a group of formula (II), C₁-C₈alkyl or C_(o)aryl; or R₁ is D; or R₁ and R₁₅ form together ethylene, trimethylene, methylene-O, O-methylene, ethylene-O, O-ethylene, methylene-NR₁₄, NR₁₄-methylene, ethylene-NR₁₄ or NR₁₄-ethylene, thus forming an aliphatic 5- or 6-membered ring; or R₂ and R₁₅ form together —O—, —S— or —NR₁₄—, preferably —O—; or if D is a group of formula (IV), R₁ and R₁₈ can form together with the N-atom R₁₇ and R₁₈ are attached to

in each of said groups two vicinal H-atoms can be replaced by benzo, preferably form

with the proviso that at least one of R₁-R₄ is fluorinated C₁-C₄alkyl or that R₂ or R₄ or both are —S(═O)₂OR₇, —S(═O)₂R₇, —S(═O)OR₇, —S(═O)OR₇ or a group of formula (II); R₅ is O; R₆ is NR₇R₁₀, OR₇, SR₇, NR₇—NR₁₀R₁₁, NR₇—C₁₀; R₇, R₁₀ and R₁₁ are independently H, C₁-C₈alkyl, C₈-C₂₀aryl, C₃-C₁₆heteroaryl or C₇-C₁₀aralkyl, and whereby the alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl and aralkyl are unsubstituted or substituted by halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′ or NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′, and the aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₁₀alkyl or fluorinated C₁-C₈alkyl, fluorinated O—C₁-C₈alkyl, —CN or combinations thereof; or R₇ being part of R₂ forms together with R₁ a direct bond or methylene thus forming an aliphatic 5- or 6-membered ring; or if R₇ is part of R₂, it can form together with R₁₆ a direct bond thus forming an aliphatic 6-membered ring; or if R₇ or R₁₀ is part of R₂ with n being 0, it can form together with a substituent of A ortho to the

group a direct bond or methylene thus forming an aliphatic 5- or 6-membered ring; R₁₄, R₁₄′ are independently H, C₁-C₁₄alkyl, C₉aryl or C₇-C₁₀aralkyl; D is independently a group of formula (III) or (IV); R₁₇ and R₁₈ are independently C₁-C₈alkyl, C₂-C₈alkenyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl, C₄-C₂₄heteroaryl, C₇-C₂₀aralkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₅-C₁₀aralkynyl or C₅-C₁₂cycloalkyl, whereby the alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, aralkenyl, aralkynyl and cycloalkyl, are unsubstituted or substituted by tetrahydrofuranyl, halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′ or combinations thereof, and the aryl and heteroaryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₈alkyl, C₂-C₈alkenyl or C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl; or R₁₇ and R₂₀ form together with the N-atom R₁₇ and R₁₅ are attached to

whereby in each of said groups one or more H-atom can be replaced by C₁-C₂₀alkyl, C₆-C₂₀aryl or combinations thereof, in each of said groups two geminal H-atom can be replaced by C₁-C₂₀alkylidene, and/or in each of said groups two vicinal H-atoms can be replaced by benzo, trimethylene or tetramethylene, whereby the benzo is unsubstituted or substituted by methyl(fluoren-9-ylidene); R₁₅ is H, NR₂₅R₂₆, OR₂₅, SR₂₅, O—CO—R₂₅ or NR₂₅—CO—R₂₆; R₁₉, R₂₀ and R₂₁ are H; R₂₅ and R₂₆ are independently H, C₁-C₁₄alkyl, C₆aryl or C₇-C₁₀aralkyl, whereby the alkyl, aryl and aralkyl are unsubstituted or substituted by pyridinium*Y⁻, halogen, S—R₁₄, O—R₁₄, CO—OR₁₄, O—CO—R₁₄, NR₁₄R₁₄′, CONR₁₄R₁₄′, NR₁₄—CO—R₁₄′ or combinations thereof, and the pyridinium and aryl can be further substituted by C₁-C₈alkyl; with the proviso that at least one of R₂₈-R₃₅ comprises a group G; wherein G is —R₂₈—COOH, —R₂₈—COO⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—S(═O)₂OH, —R₂₈—S(═O)₂O Z⁺, —R₂₈—O—S(═O)₂OH, —R₂₈—O—S(═O)₂O⁻Z⁺, —R₂₈—N(═O)(OH)₂, —R₂₈—P(═O)(O⁻Z⁺)₂, —R₂₈—N(═O)(O⁻Z⁺), —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(OH)₂, —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(O⁻Z⁺)₂ or —R₂₈—O—P(═O)(OH)(O⁻Z⁺), R₂₈ is C₁-C₈alkylene, which is unsubstituted or substituted by CO—OH; Z⁺ is N(R₁₄)₄ ⁺, Li⁺, Na⁺ or K⁺ or is the cationic group

which is part of a compound of formula (I) as part of group A; or the compound of formula (I) is dimeric and one of R₆, R₇, R₁₀, R₂₉ is R₃₆, or R₁₈ is

or R₂₀ is

or R₂₁ is

A′ is as defined for A; D′ is as defined for D; R₁′ is as defined for R₁; R₂′ is as defined for R₂; R₃′ is as defined for R₃; R₄′ is as defined for R₄; R₁₈′ is R₃₇; R₂₀′ and R₂₁′ are R₃₇, O—R₃₇—O, S⁻R₃₇—S, NR₁₄—R₃₇—NR₁₄′, O—CO—R₃₇—CO—O, NR₁₄—CO—R₃₇ ⁻CO—NR₁₄′ or S—CO—R₃₇—CO—S; R₃₆ is as defined for R₃₇, whereby the alkylene, arylene and alkylene-arylene-alkylene can be further substituted by G; R₃₇ is C₁-C₂₀alkylene, C₈-C₁₀arylene or C₁alkylene-C₈arylene-C₁alkylene, whereby the alkylene is uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S, NR₁₄ or combinations thereof (e.g. the alkylene is uninterrupted), and whereby the alkylene, arylene and alkylene-arylene-alkylene are unsubstituted or substituted by fluorine, and whereby the arylene can be further substituted by C₁-C₈alkyl, fluorinated C₁-C₈alkyl or combinations thereof; and the remainder of the substituents are as defined above.
 4. An electrode layer according to claim 3, wherein A is a group of formula (V′); Y⁻is Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻ or C₆aryl-S(═O)₂O⁻, whereby the aryl is substituted by 1 C₁-C₁₄alkyl, R₂₉ is G; R₃₀, R₃₁, R₃₂ and R₃₃ are H; n is 0 or 1; R₁ is H; if n is 1, when R₁ can additionally be D; if n is 0, when R₂ a group of formula (II); if n is 1, R₂ is H or R₂ and R₁₅ form together —O—, preferably R₂ is H; R₃ is H; R₄ is a group of formula (II), with the proviso that either R₂ or R₄ is a group of formula (II); R₅ is O; R₆ is NR₇R₁₀, NHR₇, OR₇ or N(C₁-C₈alkyl)-O(C₁-C₈alkyl); R₇ and R₁₀ are independently C₁-C₁₄alkyl, fluorinated C₁-C₄alkyl, benzyl, C₃-C₁₄heteroaryl or C_(r) C₂₀aryl, whereby the alkyl can be substituted by N—(C₁-C₈alkyl)₂, the heteroaryl can be substituted by CO—O—C₁-C₈alkyl or C₁-C₈alkyl, the benzyl and aryl can be substituted by fluorine, C₁-C₈alkyl, fluorinated C₁-C₄alkyl, O—C₁-C₈alkyl or N—(C₁-C₈alkyl)₂ or the aryl can be substituted by chlorine, CO—C₁-C₈alkyl, —CN, fluorinated C₁-C₄alkyl or fluorinated O—C₁-a₄alkyl; D is a group of formula (III); R₁₇ is C₁-C₈alkyl; or R₁₇ and R₂₀ form together with the N-atom R₁₇ and R₁₈ are attached to

R₁₈ is C₁-C₈alkyl, C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, C₆-C₂₄ heteroaryl or C₈-C₂₀aryl, whereby the alkyl can be substituted by O—C₁-C₁₄alkyl, the aryl can be substituted by fluorine, C₁-C₈alkyl, S—C₁-C₈alkyl, O—C₁-C₁₄alkyl, CO—O—C₁-C₈alkyl, O-phenyl, N-(phenyl)₂ or C₈-C₂₀aralkenyl, and the heteroaryl can be substituted by C₁-C₈alkyl, O—C₁-C₈alkyl or C₁-C₂₀aralkenyl; R₁₆ is H, OR₂₈ or O—CO—R₂₅; R₁₉, R₂₀ and R₂₁ are H; R₂₅ is C₁-C₁₄alkyl or C₇-C₁₀aralkyl, whereby the alkyl can be substituted by pyridinium*Y⁻, and the pyridinium is substituted by C₁-C_(a)alkyl; with the proviso that R₂₉ comprises a group G; G is —R₂₈COOH; R_(2B) is C₁-C₃alkylene which is unsubstituted or substituted by CO—OH, preferably R₂₈ is C₁alkylene; or the compound of formula (I) is dimeric, n is 0, and either R₇ is C₆arylene or R₂₁ is

A′ is

R₁′ is H, R₂′ is H or a group of formula (II); R₂₁′ is O—C₁-C₈alkylene-O; and the remainder of the substituents are as defined above.
 5. An electrode layer according to claim 1, wherein the oxide semiconductor fine particles are made of TiO₂, SnO₂, WO₃, ZnO, Nb₂O₅, Fe₂O₃, ZrO₂, MgO, WO₃, ZnO, CdS, ZnS, PbS, Bi₂S₃, CdSe, CdTe or combinations thereof.
 6. An electrode layer according to claim, wherein the porous film made of oxide semiconductor fine particles is sensitized with a dye of formula (I) and one or more further dyes.
 7. An electrode layer according to claim 6, wherein the further dye is a metal complex dye and/or an organic dye selected from the group consisting of indoline, courmarin, cyanine, merocyanine, hemicyanine, methin, azo, quinone, quinonimine, diketo-pyrrolo-pyrrole, quinacridone, squaraine, triphenylmethane, perylene, indigo, xanthene, eosin, rhodamine and combinations thereof.
 8. An electrode layer according to claim 1, wherein the dye is adsorbed together with an additive.
 9. An electrode layer according to claim 8, wherein the additive is a co-adsorbent, preferably a steroid, a crown ether, a cyclodextrine, a calixarene, a polyethyleneoxide or combinations thereof.
 10. A photoelectric conversion device comprising an electrode layer as defined in claim
 1. 11. A dye sensitized solar cell comprising a photoelectric conversion device as defined in claim
 10. 12. A method of sensitizing a solar cell by incorporation of the dye of formula (I) according to claim
 1. 13. A compound of formula (I) as defined claim 1, with the proviso that R₆ is not OR₇, if R₇ is part of R₂ and forms together with R₁₅ an aliphatic 6-membered ring.
 14. A compound of formula (I) according to claim 13, with the proviso that R₆ is NR₇R₁₀, if R₇ is part of R₂ and forms together with R₁₅ an aliphatic 6-membered ring. 